Hooked
by kacibubbles
Summary: Maria is the daughter of the infamous Captain Hook. When she comes home from London, she is determined to kill Peter Pan; however, after Maria sprains her ankle and he shows her mercy, she starts having feelings for Peter. Will Maria follow in her father's footsteps and be the pirate he's always wanted her to be? Or will she decide being a Lost Girl isn't so bad? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The sea had frozen around a magical island called Neverland. And in the middle of Cannonball Cove floated the new Jolly Roger. The last ship had been sunken by an orange octopus. It's deck was covered with six inches of snow. And tied against the main  
/mast was a boy dressed in mostly green. Snowflakes were collecting in his redish orange hair and on his green hat.

His fingers had gone numb and he struggled against the coarse rope that kept his hands behind his back. His lips were blue and chapped from being exposed to the cold, harsh wind. He had no coat, and was only wearing his famous, leafy, short sleeved shirt.

Yes, that boy was Peter Pan, and yes, he had been kidnapped. Captain Hook had sent some of his crew over to Peter's hideout, and they brought him back so he could finally meet his doom. Peter would've won the fight if he hadn't been sick. His throat ached,  
/he had an extremely high fever, and no matter what, he could not stop coughing.

Being out in freezing temperature wasn't helping him feel better at all. Though he was shivering, he was on fire. Some snot had frozen onto his face. Hook had finally won. Peter knew he would need a miracle to come out of this alive.

The idea of dying frightened him. He began to wiggle his wrists again. He had to escape. His life depended on it. He kicked his feet, hoping to get the rope off of them, but to no avail.

Then, footsteps sounded across the ship. Peter froze and held his breath. There were two pairs of them. They were too light to be Hook's. Peter twisted his brow, confused as to who it be.

He soon found out who the footsteps belonged to-Hook's wife Emily and his daughter, Maria.

That was his miracle!

Peter sat up taller and tried to call out for Emily. "Emily!" His voice was so quiet that he couldn't even hear himself. His vocal chords were frozen. He sighed in frustration. "Emily," he tried again. That time attracted the attention of three year old  
/Maria. She whipped her head around to find the source of the noice. Her blue eyes practically bulged out of her eyes. She quickly tugged on her mother's flannel pant leg until she looked down.

"What sweetie?" she asked nicely. Bending down with her hands on her knees, she smiled at her daughter.

"Peter," she responded softly.

"Huh?" Emily looked around confused until her gaze fixated on Peter. Her sparking, blue eyes also popped out of her head. She instantly ran over to the shivering boy and slid down onto her knees. Her brown, wavy hair flowed in the breeze as she couched  
/down. "Peter, what happened?"

Peter leaned his head against the mast and took in a deep breath. "Hook captured me. Well, his crew did," he admitted. Though he didn't like to admit losses, he lost badly this time.

Emily cupped her head in her hands and let out a long aggravated sigh. "I'm going to kill him for doing this to you," she muttered. She looked back up at Peter and frowned. "How long have you been out here like this?"

"Five hours?" Peter lost track of time. All he knew was he was abducted at midnight.

"Oh my, you must be freezing! Here, let's get you untied." While she went to unknot the ropes, Peter began had an uncontrollable coughing fit. Emily finished freeing Peter's hand and went to his ankles. "Are you sick?" she asked.

"I don't get sick," Peter boasted. But then he sneezed right into his legs. Emily playfully raised an eyebrow and then giggled. "Fine, I'm sick."

She put the back of her hand on Peter's forehead and her face turned serious. "You're burning up!" She finally pushed the ropes off of Peter's ankles and stripped her purple coat off her body. "Put this on," she ordered.

Peter obeyed and then sank back against the mast, exhausted. Emily combed through Peter's hair with her fingers and kissed him gingerly on the head. "I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to grab some medicine for your fever. Maria, watch him for me, okay?"

"Okay!" Maria exclaimed.

Emily stood up and watched as Maria sat down next to Peter. "My two loves," she mumbled to herself before heading inside.

Peter crossed his arms and curled into a tight ball, trying to keep warm.

"You cold?" Maria asked. Her voice was so high pitched and soft. He smiled whenever he heard her.

"Yeah," Peter said. Maria then crawled onto Peter's lap and pulled him into a tight embrace. Peter relaxed and stroked her hair gently. "Thanks."

"Your welcome." She cuddled closer to him and rested her head on her chest. For a moment, Peter forgot all about his surroundings and just absorbed Maria's happiness.

Then, the beautiful moment was interrupted by footsteps. They did not belong to Emily's, though.

They were Hook's.

Peter tensed up with fear. He pushed Maria up by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. "You wanna play a game?" he asked quietly.

"What game?"

"Hide-and-seek."

"Sure!"

Peter glanced around nervously. "Alright. I'll count and you hide. Ready?"

Maria nodded and smiled with excitement.

"Okay, go!" Maria scurried away and began stumbling towards a barrel. "One, two-"

A blade suddenly threatened his neck. Hook's blade to be exact. The metal shimmered in the moonlight. "Good morning, boy," Hook greeted cheerfully. "Ready to die?"

Peter peered up at the two hateful eyes that stared down at him. "That's all you're going to do? Slit my throat? Wow. Very disappointing," Peter taunted. "I thought I would at least get to walk the plank."

"Oh, shut up!" He smoked his hook right into Peter's temple. Blood spouted from it and oozed down the side of his face. Peter grasped at his wound and let out a pained cry. "I've decided to make it simple. I don't want to take any chances." He pointed  
/his sword back at Peter's throat. Then, he realized Peter was free! "How did you-?"

"Emily untied me." Peter interrupted.

Hook sighed. "I'm going to kill that woman."

"Funny! Emily said that she was going to kill you for kidnapping me!" Peter smirked and then went into another coughing fit.

A plump old man standing next to Hook looked upset. It was Mr. Smee. Though he always followed Hook's orders, Smee never actually wanted Peter killed. "You alright, Peter?"

Peter shook his head no. "I'm sick," Peter mumbled. "And tired." Peter looked back at his old enemy. His hair was cut short and neatly combed. Instead of his red coat, he had on a black leather coat with a red vest underneath. It was very edgy and modern.  
/Peter figured that it was because emily never wore the traditional kind of pirate clothes, but he never actually knew for sure.

"Oh, well, that will make my life easy then!" He yanked Peter's coat collar, pulled Peter onto his feet, and slammed the boy against the tall, hard mast.

Peter whimpered from the pounding in his head. Hook smiled wickedly and wrapped his strong hand around Peter's neck, all while dragging his hook across his stomach. "I've been waiting to do this for a long time," he threatened. "Today will be the end  
/of you, and no one will care or miss you."

Peter tried pulling Hook's hand away but was too weak. He kicked frantically and ended up stepped directly on Hook's foot.

Hook released Peter reluctantly to nurse his foot. "You insolent boy!" Hook roared.

"You know who would miss me? Emily and Maria," Peter rebutted.

Just then, Emily came barging through the door with some medicine in a measuring cup. "Okay, Peter. I have your medicine," she said. When she looked up, she found the whole crew surrounding the main mast. Instantly, she elbowed her way through the  
/crowd only to find Hook and Peter face-to-face.

"Jim!"

Hook shoved Peter down to the metal grate and stepped on his back. Peter looked up desperately at Emily and coughed repeatedly. "Get off of him!" Emily ordered.

"No, Emily! I'm not letting get away this time," Hook shouted.

"He's sick! He can't fight back right now. He needs to be in bed, not laying in the snow."

"Exactly! It's perfect! I can beat him this time!"

Suddenly, a sharp object was inserted into Hook's shin. He wailed in pain and stepped of Peter, giving him a chance to stand up. Peter held out his now bloody knife and put it back in his belt. Emily wrapped her arms around him and brought him close to  
/her. "Your head and stomach are bleeding," she stated. She pulled a clean hankie from her pocket and blotted the blood away. "Jim, how can you live with yourself, causing harm to a kid?"

"That kid cut off my hand and sunk my old ship! Not to mention all those times he's stolen my treasure." he growled.

"He didn't know what he was doing," Emily assured.

"He knew exactly what he was doing! And he should pay for what he did."

"He needs parents and love," she said softly. And with that, she kissed Peter on the head gingerly. "Let's get you out of here." She gazed at Peter's flushed cheeks and rubbed his arms. Peter leaned against her warm, comforting body and coughed.

Hook was boiling over with anger. He couldn't contain it any longer. he ripped Peter from Emily's arms and threw him to the ground, again. Peter grunted as he hit the snow covered deck. Balling up his fists, he managed to get on all fours, only to get  
/kicked in the side. He collapsed back down, his body still.

"NO!" Emily screamed while lunging at Hook. Two pirates grabbed her arms and stopped her. Hook kicked Peter again and again in the stomach. Each time, a weak cry erupted from Peter's lips. "Stop it! You're hurting him!" Emily slammed her head into one  
/of the pirate's heads and kicked the other in the shin. They both backed away, scared. She then launched herself at Hook, tackling him to the ground.

"Peter, go!"

Peter struggled onto his feet and held his stomach as he ran for the dock, which led off the ship and onto the beach.

"No! STOP HIM!"

Hook pushed Emily off of him and sat up to see all of his crew encircling his enemy. Peter skidded to a stop when five pirates formed a line, separating him from the exit. He turned around to find this was the case on all sides. If he hadn't been sick,  
/he could've flown up and home. But since he was, he was grounded, literally.

All pirates held swords and they were pointed at him. They began closing in on the scared boy. Peter closed his lips and drew his knife, trying to put on a brace front. Not knowing how to get away, he glanced all over the circle. He was feeling lightheaded  
/and knew he had to get some rest soon or he would collapse.

Hook walked into the ring and went straight into fighting. He swung his sword at Peter, but Peter dodged it and landed onto his knees. He felt a coughing fit coming on and balled his fists up, tired of having to fight. He looked up at his opponent and  
/snarled. He jumped up to his feet only to get knocked off them. Hook smacked his hook into Peter's cheek, sending him back onto his knees.

Peter cradled his cheek and coughed into one of his fists. Hook smirked and put away his sword. "Why, would you look at that. It looks like I have the upper hook now, don't I?" Hook cackled. The crew cheered and pointed their cutlasses and the poor boy.  
/Peter was defeated. No matter what he did, he couldn't win. He gripped his knife tightly and stood up, ready to die.

Just then, a hand grabbed at his wrist and yanked him away from Hook. Scared, Peter jabbed his dagger into the persons gut without hesitation.

A woman's whimper made him turn his head to see who it was.

Emily.

She released Peter's wrist and looked down at her bleeding stomach. Peter still was holding his dagger in her stomach. He quickly pulled it out, hoping to reverse what he had done.

Emily gazed up into Peter's brown eyes and then started to fall. Peter caught her under the arms and eased her onto the deck. She took in short shallow breaths and gripped the floor. Hook was wide-eyed and in shock.

Peter went numb to his surroundings and focused only on Emily. Frantically, he threw his knife aside and pulled his hat off. Then, he pressed on the gaping hole in her stomach to try to stop the bleeding. A single tear fell from Peter's eye. Then another,  
/and another. He couldn't believe he did that to her.

Emily cupped her hand over Peter's cheek and rubbed it gingerly. She scooped Peter's hands with her other hand and smiled weakly. "Peter," she began.

"Oh, Emily, I'm so sorry," Peter sobbed. He covered his face with his hands and let the tears fall freely.

"Peter, listen to me. I need you to promise me something."

He lowered his hands a little.

"You have to keep Maria from turning into hook," she whispered. "Peter please promise me you'll try."

"I give you my word," he choked out through sobs.

"And promise me you'll take care of yourself."

Peter looked down at the hole in her stomach and out on a brave face for Emily. "I will."

Hook snatched Peter up and threw him across the ship. "Get off my ship!" he demanded with such authority that Peter crawled backwards in fear.

Maria peeped her head out from behind a barrel, and she slowly made her way to him and frowned. "You forgot me!" she whined.

Peter wiped away the tears and tried to act like everything was fine. "You hid so good, I couldn't find you!" he chuckled.

"Really?" she asked excited.

"Yep!" He reached out and tickled her stomach. She giggled and backed away to catch her breath. Hook was busy tending to Emily, who was getting worse and worse. Smee cautiously went over to the kids and gathered Maria up into her arms.

Peter looked up at Smee and instantly was overcome with the feeling of guilt. "C'mon, your mommy wants to see you," he said to the little girl. The he glanced at Peter, who was shaking nervously. "You too."

Peter stood up and walked along side Smee and crouched beside Emily again. Maria was place next to Peter, and instantly, she knew something was wrong. "Mommy?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Maria, I'm sorry, but I have to go," Emily said softly.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere far away."

"When will you be back?"

"No." Maria tilted her head in confusion. "Don't worry, I'll be with you in your heart." Her voice was weak, and she struggled to breath. Peter hunched over sadly and wiped the tears away. "Take care of each other, okay?" she asked the two children.

They both nodded yes and hovered over the suffering woman. "Emily, please, you can't go," Peter urged. "I need you!" Hook scowled at the boy but forced himself not to focus on him.

Emily used the last bit of her strength to smile at him. "I love you," she whispered. And then, her eyes fluttered shut. Hook grabbed her by the shoulders, trying to shake the life back in her.

Nothing. Emily was dead.

Peter couldn't hear Hook's cries. Looking at Maria, he lost it and walked away. He couldn't conceal his emotion, nor did he try. Tears ran down his cheeks. He wiped them away as soon as they came. Then, he felt a hand on his back.

Peter turned to face Smee, who was holding a cup of medicine. "Here," he said while handing the cup over to Peter. "You probably should get out of here before Hook blows up."

Peter eyeballed his knife and bent down to pick it up. He nodded at Smee and then headed home.

Ever since that day, Peter followed through with his promise to Emily. He checked on Maria every night. He flew to her window and, when she had a nightmare, looked at the stars with her. He tried to keep her happy, but after she turned six, she became  
/aggressive towards him. Hook had corrupted the sweet girl and turned her against Peter Pan.

Though he and Maria were not friends anymore, he always checked on her through her bedroom porthole. He would not give up on her; he would keep his word to Emily.

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, there was a boy who never grew up. But this isn't his story; this is her story.

Born a pirate, Maria Hook lived on the Jolly Roger and was raised by her father, the infamous Captain Hook. Her mother had died when Maria was only three, leaving Hook to take care of her by himself. Her mother's death had always been a mystery to her.  
Hook never talked about that day, and Maria never asked about it. She knew that it pained Hook too much just thinking about it.

As the years went by, Maria went to the Mainland for school. She met a little family in London named the Darlings, and they let her stay with them in their suburban house. There was a mother, father, and two sisters. Maria always felt that she could trust  
the parents with almost anything, but she never told them who she really was.

Margaret, the mother, was the epitome of grace and loveliness. She looked very much her grandmother, Wendy. Her dazzling, blue eyes lit up when she told Peter Pan stories. Her light brown hair whipped around her shoulders as she ran around the nursery,  
acting out fight scenes with her littlest one.

She worked from home as a writer. Her stories usually consisted of far away places that had pirates, Indians, mermaids, six boys dressed as animals, and a boy dressed in green. Neverland.

Maria would read her stories to try and figure out what Peter's weaknesses were, but she found none. Peter seemed like the perfect hero in Margaret's stories. Maria knew better, though. Peter had cut off her father's hand and made him miserable. Maria  
wished that she could kill the boy for Hook. She tried so hard, but he was too fast for her. He also had an unfair advantage because he could fly. She had tried to learn but didn't have happy enough thoughts. That was the price of being a pirate.

Maria gazed up at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. The walls were cream and the cold floors white. Her wavy, light brown hair flowed past her face and stopped at the middle of her back. The brown of her hair seemed to bring out the blue of her eyes,  
her big eyes. Freckles decorated her ivory nose and cheeks. She smiled at herself and then glanced over at the girl standing next to her.

The girl had sandy blonde hair that ended at the shoulders. She also had big, blue eyes. She wiped some makeup of one side her face, revealing very few imperfections. She had rosy cheeks and a couple pimples on her forehead. She was fifteen years old,  
though she acted like she was all grown up. It sort of got on Maria's nerves how she relied on makeup to feel pretty. She always was running late so she could finish her makeup. Her name was Sasha, and she was the oldest daughter of the family.

Maria looked to her other side to find a little girl standing beside her, brushing her teeth. Her green eyes could melt any heart, and all she wanted to do was play pirates. Maria taught her how to wield a foam sword. Alice was her real name, but she  
preferred to be called Ally. She thought Alice was too girly.

Maria collected her hair and began braiding it; she hated having hair all over her face when she slept. While fingering for the right chunk, she took notice of the differences of their pajamas. Maria was in a pair of knit, red shorts and a black t-shirt  
(her favorite colors). Sasha sashayed in her silk, pink nightgown and matching slippers. Ally wore an old, loved, oversized t-shirt. They couldn't have been more different, yet, they got along fairly well. Well, they got along when they weren't fighting-which  
was often.

Sasha insisted that Ally grew up and couldn't stand when she rambled on and on about Peter Pan. To Sasha, it was all one big story. She didn't believe in fairies, flying, or magic. She only believed in logic, and makeup.

But to Ally, Peter Pan was real, and he was going to take her to Neverland. Margaret wouldn't lie to her. Plus, she was living, breathing proof that Peter Pan existed. He taught her how to fly and fight.

Maria, actually knowing the boy, got very frustrated when Sasha would tell Ally Neverland wasn't real. Maria knew better and always had to bite her tongue. If she did correct her, she had to cover it up saying she found it on the internet. Honestly, Maria  
wished she could punch Sasha's lights out when they had their disputes.

"I'm really going to miss you," Sasha admitted while cleaning off the rest of her blush. She finally finished and then reached for her moisturizer.

No matter how much she got on her nerves, Maria knew she was the best friend she ever had. "I'll miss you, too," Maria replied nicely. "Both of you!" Hip-checking the little girl, she smiled and went back to braiding her hair.

Ally spat out her toothpaste and began rinsing her toothbrush. "Do you have to go?" she asked, hoping she would say no. "Mummy and Daddy wouldn't mind if you stayed!"

"Well, what about my dad? Don't you think he would miss me?" Maria chuckled.

"Yes, but couldn't you stay another night?" Ally stuck the toothbrush back in her mouth.

"Ally," Sasha interrupted, "she has to go home, even if we want her to stay." She smirked at Maria and took another look at herself in the mirror.

"Yeah. Besides, I'm sure my dad has something planned for us to do already." Maria knew that Hook always had a plan to kill the wretched boy that haunted his nightmares. She had a good feeling about this summer. She was going to make sure that Peter Pan  
was dead by the time she had to go back to the Mainland.

"What do you think he's going to do?" Sasha asked curiously.

Maria had to think of something besides killing someone. "Um, I don't know. Maybe we'll have a picnic in the park." She knew that he would be excited to have her home, but she never expected a party.

"That would be nice!" Sasha said politely. "Now, I've never met your dad. Will we ever get to meet him?"

"God, I hope not," Maria mumbled under her breath.

"What?" Sasha furrowed her brows, confused.

"I don't know," Maria lied. There was no way they were ever going to meet Hook. "Maybe sometime soon!"

"Well, I would love to come over to your house this summer to have a sleepover!"

"You can't!" Maria shouted suddenly. Then, she cleared her throat and forced her voice back to normal. "My dad doesn't make much money, so we had to turn off the electricity." That was actually sort of true. They didn't have electricity on the Jolly Roger.  
"Trust me, you wouldn't have fun there."

"Oh," Sasha muttered. She uncomfortably tucked some hair behind her ear and rocked back and forth on her feet. "I didn't know that."

"And don't forget, I'm coming to your sleepover in three weeks, so we'll see each other again." Maria leaned against the granite counter and tied a pony in her hair.

"You're right! We'll see each other very soon!" Sasha then yawned and stretched her arms. "I guess we should go to bed. We be got big day tomorrow!"

Ally jumped up and down, overjoyed. "I can't wait to be on our holiday!" she squealed. "I won't have to get up early, learn anything, and, best of all, I will get to play all day!"

Maria laughed at the jumping girl and headed for the nursery. The room had muted purple, striped walls and white carpet on the floor. It was a very peaceful place to be. Even though Maria's home was the Jolly Roger, she could actually get a good night's  
sleep here. The pirates often stayed up late and drank a lot. They sometimes were so loud, she thought about asking Peter if she could stay the night at his hideout. Of course, she never followed through with it. Hook would have killed her if she  
spent the night at Peter's. But the Darling household all went to bed at around the same time, so there was nothing to wake her up.

She glided over to her bed and pulled back the opaque, white curtains that hung at each side. Maria slept in John Darling's bed, but needed some privacy. Hiding who she really was from the family she lived with, while sharing a bedroom, meant she never  
got to be herself. She climbed up on her bed and sat down. Then she pulled off her black, leather, fingerless gloves and set the on her night stand. She wore them all the time because of the hook tattoo on her left palm. Wearing them was the only  
way she could keep her cover.

Margaret and Tom, Margaret's husband, came into the room. Margaret went directly to Ally to help her get comfortable. Tom, however, strolled over to Maria and sat down next to her. He was a tall man with green eyes and black hair. His chiseled face matched  
his chiseled body. He had to be fit; he was a police man after all. "Excited for tomorrow?" he asked with his deep, but gentle, voice.

Tom slightly reminded Maria of Hook. He could be fierce one moment but calm the next. "Yep!" she answered. "Thanks again for letting me stay here so I can go to school."

"Maria, you don't have to thank us," he laughed. "You're family!" He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Get some good rest tonight, okay?"

She nodded, pulled the covers back, and climbed in, letting herself sink into the soft mattress. Tom tucked her in and sat back down. "Now, its only a half day tomorrow. Do you think you can avoid getting into trouble?" he asked, somewhat teasing her,  
somewhat being serious. She did get into trouble a lot at school. Sometimes, she started it, but it usually involved the school bully.

"I'll try," she answered sincerely. She knew he cared about her, and she didn't want to disappoint him. But if Todd, the school bully, messed with her, she knew she would lose control and go all pirate on him.

He kissed her on the head and went over to Sasha's bed. Maria listened to their conversation until Margaret came over to her. "Goodnight," she cooed. Maria nuzzled her head into her pillow and allowed herself to drift to dreamland.

What began as a peaceful, happy dream, turned into a nightmare. Hook had been slaughtered. Peter, showing his wicked grin, hovered over the dead captain with a bloody dagger in his hand. Maria was helpless; her wrists were chained to the deck, and she  
screamed in horror at the sight.

The scream attracted Peter and he slowly went over to her. Maria stiffened but lost her composure as Peter's dagger threatened her throat. "Hello, Maria," Peter spat.

"You killed him," Maria muttered.

"Wow. Great observation, Sherlock." Peter lowered his knife and cackled at his remark. "And guess what? I'm going to do the same to you." He picked up a lock of her hair and sniffed it.

"You killed my father!" Maria shouted, still in shock. She tried to run away, but the chains held strong.

"There's no use in trying to escape, pirate!" Peter assured. "You can't avoid your fate!" He grabbed a fist-full of her hair and yanked her head back. He then, ever so gently, slit her throat. Maria's world turned black, and with that, her eyes shot wide  
open. She sat up and checked her surroundings.

No sign of Peter. Even though she knew she was unharmed, she felt her throat. It was fine. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Detangling herself from her blankets, she poked her head out of the curtains and saw it was three a.m. She  
sighed and stood up, stretching her arms and yawning. Then she trudged over to the window and sat down on the window seat. Looking at the stars always made her feel calm, so that's exactly what she did. They were so bright, especially the second start  
to the right. She glanced down at her tattoo and back up at the glowing star. "I'll be home soon, Dad," she whispered.

After a while, she fell back to sleep and slumped over on the window seat cushion.

Then, a boy dressed in green skidded to a stop in the air. He had finally reached his destination-the Darlings' home. He peered through the window to find Maria, the daughter of his worst enemy, sleeping on the window seat. The boy studied her and decided  
it was safe to enter the room. He pushed open the window and stepped onto the seat.

Peter Pan looked around the room cautiously, making sure Nana, the dog that stripped him of his shadow, was not around. Luckily for him, there was no sign of the dog. He then crouched down next to the sleeping girl. Her mouth was gaping open and drool  
dripping onto her arm. Peter quietly chuckled and scooped the girl into his arms. He carried her all the way to her bed and gently tucked her back in. "You know, you're going to have to stay in bed more often," he whispered. "It was one thing to carry  
you across the room when your were five. But you're getting heavy."

After that, he checked on the other two girls and fixed Ally's blankets. Once he made sure every one was situated, he walked backwards to the window. He didn't look where he was going and tripped over a doll that was laying on the ground. He landed with  
a loud thud. He heard a girl stir and zoomed out the window, taking his shadow with him. He forgot to close the window behind him because he was in a rush to get out. He heard a girl squeal with delight as he dove behind a tree. Poking his head out,  
he gazed up at the window and saw a little girl searching frantically for him.

He sighed in relief and then started his journey back home.

Ally waited by the window the rest of the night, hoping Peter would come back. But when the sun began to rise, she knew it would be at least another night before she would finally meet her hero.

At six o'clock, every alarm clock in the nursery went off. Ally quickly turned her's off and raced over to Maria's bed. "Maria, wake up," she whispered.

Maria stirred slightly and then shot straight up. "How did I get back in my bed?" she asked, scratching her head while trying to come up with a logical solution.

"You weren't in your bed?" Ally questioned.

Maria rubbed her eyes and yawned. "I had a bad dream, so I looked at the stars to calm myself down. That's the last thing I remember."

"Well, I know how!" exclaimed Ally. "Peter Pan came last night!"

"He did?" Maria's eyes bulged out of her head. She threw back the covers and went over to the window.

Ally followed her and sat on the window seat. "Yeah! I didn't see him, but why else would the window be open?"

"Oh, God," Maria mumbled. She looked around the room to make sure there wasn't any traps, but all was clear. "So he carried me back bed? No, that doesn't make any sense!" Biting her fingernail, she made her way over to her bed and threw on some socks.

"Good morning, my loves!" Margaret announced as she opened the bedroom door! "Time to," she paused. "Oh! You are already up! You excited for today?" she laughed.

"Mummy, Peter Pan was here!" Ally shouted. "Look! The window's open!"

Margaret gasped. "Oh my goodness! It looks like he was here," she confirmed. "Did he take you to Neverland?"

"No," Ally said sadly. She was a little upset she missed him but knew he would come again. "Maybe next time," she smiled.

Maria dug through the drawers of her dresser and pulled out a black t-shirt with a skull and crossed bones on the and a red, plaid skirt to go with it. She also found some ripped up tights. Then she started for the bathroom.

Ally crawled up on Sasha's bed and began jumping and shouting to wake her up. "Sasha! Come on! Today's the last day of school! We have to get going!"

Sasha grumbled something and rolled onto her side. Not giving up, Ally flopped on top of her older sister. "Come on. The sky's awake! So I'm awake! So we have to play!" She giggled wildly.

Sasha slipped her eye pillow off her face so Ally could see her scowl. "Alice, are you ever going to grow up?" she quipped.

"I'm only six. I don't have to grow up yet!" Ally sat up and got down from the bed. "Oh, and I have proof that Peter Pan is real!"

"Alice, Peter Pan is not real. And nothing you say will change my mind."

"Oh, yeah? Well, why is the window open?" She put both hands on her hips defiantly.

"The wind could have opened it." Sasha pursed her lips and sat up lazily.

"He also carried Maria back to bed," she faltered.

Sasha laughed and crossed her arms. "Father could've checked on us at the night. Face it, Peter Pan is only a myth, and the sooner you except that, the sooner you'll have friends."

Ally froze. "Sasha!" Margaret scolded.

Sasha showed no emotion as Ally started to tear up. She walked over to her mother and cried into her pant leg. "Why are you so mean?" Ally sobbed.

Sasha's lips were partly open, shocked at the turn the conversation. "Why are you so sensitive?" she retorted.

"Sasha, apologize," Margaret ordered.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Sasha shouted.

"You just said she didn't have friends!"

"Well, she doesn't. I was just stating a fact!"

"Sasha," Maria interrupted, "just apologize."

"You're taking their side? Some friend you are!" Sasha got out of bed and stormed into the bathroom. Without hesitation, she locked it and quickly started her morning routine.

Maria, who had watched the whole argument unfold, pounded on the door. "Sasha, this isn't funny! Me and Ally need to get ready, too!" she shouted.

After waiting a long time, Maria crossed her arms stubbornly. Margaret was still trying to sooth Ally and failing miserably. "Hey, Ally, I don't really have any friends either. but you know who's my best friend?" she asked while sitting down on the floor  
next to her.

"Who?" Ally asked, wiping the tears away.

"You." Maria tapped Ally on the nose playfully. "Now, since Sasha's taking up the bathroom, looks like we have to use the loo." She stood up with her clothes in her arms and headed over to Ally's dresser. She quickly got her school uniform out and piled  
it on top of her clothes. Then she grabbed her gloves and the two kids headed down the stairs and into the tiny loo.

The walls were plain but bright. The white tiles were white and cold to stand on. Ally shoved herself into the corner of the room and began dressing herself. Maria slipped off her pajamas and shimmied into her clothes for the day. She was lucky; the state  
school she went to didn't have uniforms, so she was able to wear her leather gloves there as well.

After they were dressed, Maria unbraided her hair, leaving it in loose waves. Ally combed through her tangled hair with her small fingers.

A knock on the door startled the two girls. "Yes?" Maria asked.

Margaret opened the door and let handed Maria two toothbrushes and toothpastes. "I was able to get these from Sasha," she explained.

"Oh, great! Thanks!" Maria stuck her's under the flowing water and then applied some toothpaste on it. While giving Ally her things, Maria stuck her toothbrush in her mouth and scrubbed her pearly whites. Ally did the same and they both spat at the same  
time.

As the exited the loo, a scent of baking bread permeated through the air. They were drawn into the kitchen as if they were under a spell. In the toaster were two biscuits and the microwave had eggs heating up. Margaret was dumping some apple slices onto  
three plates. When the microwave beeped, she quickly stirred up the eggs, added pepper, and threw them back into the microwave.

"Girls, go ahead and take a seat in the dining room," Margaret said while waiting for the the biscuits. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."

Maria ushered Ally over to the table, where Tom was sitting and reading the morning paper. They exchanged pleasantries and then the food was delivered. Seeing that she only had fifteen minutes until they had to leave, Maria chugged her orange juice down  
and devoured her food. After that, she ran up the stairs, needing to collect her textbooks and supplies. The one thing she never left home without was her pocket knife. She never knew when she would run into trouble, so she made sure she was always  
prepared.

She shoved it into the waistband of her skirt and slipped her high-tops on. She could hear music playing from the bathroom which meant Sasha was still getting ready. Maria hesitated before going to the door and knocking softly. "Hey, Sasha?" Maria said,  
trying to be as calm as possible. "We leave in ten minutes."

Sasha was sweeping blush across her cheeks when she heard Maria's voice. Rolling her eyes, she tapped her phone screen as increased the volume of her classical music. She then began dabbing lipgloss on.

Maria flung her hands up in the air in frustration. Boy, Sasha could really be annoying sometimes. "Listen, Sasha. I know you want Ally to grow up and not believe, but you do realize that she's six, right?" Maria heard her voice rising. She took in a  
deep breath.

While fixing her headband, Sasha shouted, "I just don't get why you always side with Ally. I'm right! We all know those stories aren't real!"

Maria chuckled. "How do you know they aren't real? Have you ever been to Neverland?" She leaned against the locked door and crossed her arms.

Sasha unlocked the door and opened it, not knowing Maria would fall on top of her. "No! You know why? Because it doesn't exist!"

"Oh. My guess would've been that Peter thought you were too grown up and didn't want to take you," Maria stood back up and dusted off her shoulders. She glanced down at the blonde girl, smirking.

"Ha ha," Sasha sneered. She stood up as well. "In all reality, I am just trying to protect Ally. I don't want her to get bullied in school later on because she still believes."

Maria's face turned solemn. "I get it," she said. "But just try to lighten up on her a little, okay?"

Sasha stood there, looking upset. She nodded yes and then went back to the counter. Before long, Margaret was calling for the kids to come down and get out the door. Sasha grumbled something to the effect that she had not eaten. Then, she grabbed her  
backpack and walked down the stairs with Maria.

The three children all got in the van, and Margaret plopped herself in the drivers seat. She dropped Ally off first at her school. They were running late, as usual, and Maria couldn't get another tardy without getting into serious trouble. So, instead  
of having Margaret driving through the busy streets of London, she decided to walk.

Maria hopped out of the car. If she ran the entire way, she would be able to stop by her locker and drop of her books.

High-tailing it, Maria entered a dark alley way in between two tall buildings. The air felt hot and stifling. Maria slowed her pace to take in the surroundings. No matter how much she didn't like to admit it, she was scared. There was way to much trash  
for the alley to be vacant and it smelled of fresh pee. Maria could almost taste it, and she came to a dead stop when she heard a crack.

"Hello?" she yelled, her voice shaking.

A sudden gust of wind nearly blew through the space. Maria gulped. She reached for her pocket knife instinctively and flipped the blade open.

Then, her world went dark. A sack had been thrown over her head and her hands were pinned to her low back. someone pushed her against the brick wall. Her cheek felt the coarse surface of the building through the sack. A sharp pain fled through her side,  
making her cringe. Wondering who would have sliced her open like that, only one person came to mind.

Peter.

But before she could even turn to face him, she was thrown down to the concrete slab and

Sliced again on the thigh. She struggled to pull the sack off and her wrist was stomped on.

She had to get up, but was thrown into the dumpster before she even had the chance. The lid was shut. She laid in shock for a moment as she listened to the laughter of several boys.

Several boys? She thought it was Peter! This really made her head spin. Her side and thigh were bleeding and spilling onto rotting food and styrofoam cups. She managed to get the bag off her head and pushed up on the lid, allowing light to spill into  
the bin. She forced it all the way up and sat up, frantically looking for who was going to get beaten up for this. She never even got a glimpse of who the attackers were. She swore to herself as she climbed out.

Knowing she didn't have time to waste, she began walking to school, picking up her pocket knife on the way. She didn't even realize she dropped it, but it all happened so fast.

Once she finally got to the school, she noticed that she was five minutes late to her first class. She sprinted to her class and bursted through the door. Most of the class looked up at her with judgmental faces.

"Miss Darling, you're late, again," her teacher scolded.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"No buts. Sit down." Maria followed her teachers orders and quickly stumbled to her seat with her head hung low.

The rest of the day didn't go much better. She knew she only about a third of the questions on the first test, tripped over an extended foot during lunch, and had a huge confrontation with the school bully after finding out he had made her late. At the  
end of the school day, Maria was exhausted, and it was only one p.m.

The only thing that made her keep going was the fact that she would be back in Neverland soon. There were only a few hours left before she would be sailing the seas with her dad.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone!**

 **I hope you liked the Prologue and Chapter 1! I actually decided to rewrite it because I thought I could have done a better job! I'll probably do this for other chapters too so stay on the Pan is my fave character and I'm really excited for people to read my story! Please Review so I can know your thoughts! If you have any suggestions, I'd like to know them!**

 **Thanks,**

 **Kacibubbles**

* * *

Chapter 2

Once they got home, Maria went straight upstairs and started packing. She grabbed all of her clothes and shoved them into the two suitcases. Then, she found her beauty products and threw them into a duffle bag. Sasha and Ally sat in the room and kept  
/her company while she gathered her things.

In the evening, it was time for Maria to go home. She couldn't wait. She could just tell that it was going to be the summer that she finally would defeat Peter Pan. She figured that her father already had a plan that included her.

She said good-bye to Sasha, Ally, and Margret. Then she headed out the door and into the warm, fresh air. It smelled of new mulch and flowers. She pulled her suitcases all the way to the dock, where Maria's father said he would pick her up. After a while  
/of waiting, Maria looked at Big Ben to see what time it was. 11:00 o'clock. Hook said he would have been there two hours ago. She began to worry. What if he got hurt in a battle? she began to think.

Just then, an amazing array of colors came from the sky. Maria's eyes widened at the sight. The explosion came from the second star to the right. And for a brief second, she could see Neverland.

The ship blocked her view, though. But she didn't care. It only meant that she was going to see her dad. As soon as he ship landed gracefully on the water, Hook went off the boat and onto the dock. He ran toward Maria, and wrapped his arms around her.

Maria did the same. "Dad!" She screamed with joy.

"Maria!" He said with the same amount of enthusiasm. "Oh, I've missed you so much! And, look how much you've grown!" Maria backed up and spun around slowly so Hook could get a better look at her. "You look so much like your mother!" He said proudly.

"Thanks."

"So, how was life like while being a lubber?" he joked.

"Not as good as being a pirate, of course. But, it was fine," Maria laughed.

"Well, let's get you all settled in!" Hook said while grabbing her suitcases. Maria looked at the Jolly Roger flag waving proudly in the air; she was glad to be home. Then, she walked aboard the giant ship and went directly to her room. Hook followed  
/her and set the baggage down on her bed.

Maria instantly unpacked her things and put her bags under her bed. Once she stood back up, she saw a light blue dress and a note sitting on top of it. She picked the note up and read it. It said to put the dress on and find Hook. "Oh gosh," she sighed.

Maria held the dress up in front of her. Automatically, she knew what it was meant to be - Wendy's dress. She quickly took off her clothes, and gloves, and slipped the dress on. Maria cringed when she saw it on herself in the mirror. Then, she struck  
/her best Wendy pose. After about one second, her shoulders slumped.

After that, she went over to her dad's room, knowing he would be getting ready. "Why the heck am I wearing this?" Maria asked annoyed.

"It's all part of a plan I came up with," Hook replied. "You'll be tied up against the mast, which will make Peter come and try to save you. Then, I'll run him through with my sword."

"Dad, can I be square with you right now?"

"What?" Hook knew that she wasn't happy.

"Wendy grew up and died! And, Peter is smarter than you think! He'll know it's me!"

"Not if you stay in character!"

"Dad, I don't even look like her!"

"Yes you do! You both have blue eyes and brown hair. Sure, your hair is longer, but he'll be so happy to see you that he won't notice."

"Well, what happens if you don't run him through?" Maria crossed her arms, annoyed.

"You do it!" He poked her on the chest.

"What? If I carry a sword, he'll see it." A knot formed in her stomach.

Hook handed her a small flip blade and pointed at it. "You can hide this in your hand."

"And, what do I do if he knows it's me?"

"Do what you have been taught to do, fight."

"Okay," she said insecurely. She had never won against him before.

Hook could tell she was nervous. "Hey, you're going to be fine. I won't let you get hurt."

"Okay. I trust you." Maria said. She sat down on Hook's bed and thought about how to be Wendy. She didn't know her that well. Wendy always had a sparkle in her eyes, and she loved Peter. That was going to be hard to pull off.

Then, Mr. Smee came walking in with a plate of fried chicken for her. "Hey, Maria! Welcome home!" he said cheerfully. Carefully, he handed the plate to her and sat down. He was excited for her to be home; she was a big help when it came to doing chores.

"Thanks!" she said, gladly taking the food. She loved being with Smee. He always was super nice to her. He would take care of her while she was sick when Hook was busy ordering the crew around. They were very close. All she had to do was call his name,  
/and she knew that he would be there.

After she was finished with her meal, Smee took it to the kitchen for her. Then, Hook decided it was a good time to start his plan. By the end of the day, the dreadful boy would be dead and he would finally be avenged. He began to tie a light blue ribbon  
/in Maria's hair. He pulled too hard once and made her wince. Once she was all ready, he led her outside and quickly tied her to the mast. She hated being forced to play the damsel in distress. She believed that girls could free themselves without  
/any help from boys.

She was there for about thirty minutes before she calling out Peter's name in her best English accent. "Petah! Help me! I'm scared!"

"Nice job!" Hook complemented.

They waited another minute to see if he would show up. But, there was still no sign of him. "What's taking him so long?" Maria whispered.

"I don't know! He should be here."

"Is he even in Neverland?"

"Yes! Just hold on!" Hook whispered harshly. Maria shut up after that. She knew he was getting upset, and when he was upset, nothing she said could make it any better. "I know," he started, "I need you on the plank!"

"Wait, what? No!That's dangerous!"

"You'll be fine! Now c'mon!" He untied the rope and then used a shorter piece to tie her wrists behind her back. He used the softest kind he could find to prevent rope burn.

Maria then walked onto the wobbly plank and tried stay balanced; however, it was very hard to do so while her hands were stuck behind her. She turned her head to look at her dad. He knew she wasn't happy because she was frowning. He gave her a little  
/smile, trying to cheer her up. She sighed and walked all the way up to the edge. There, she stood with perfect posture.

All of the sudden, she saw a shadow cast on one of the sails. It was Peter's shadow. She cleared her throat to get Hook's attention. He looked at her, confused. She pointed up with her eyes to the sail. He looked and instantly pulled out his sword.

Then, the boy who was wearing all green, sliced the sail open and flew down to Hook. "Hey, Captain!" he said with a smile. "Ready to lose your other hand?"

Maria rolled her eyes about him being totally oblivious about her on the plank. "Not today," Hook began.

"Petah!" Maria yelled, trying to act excited.

He turned suddenly to the sound of a girl's voice. "Wendy!" He was so happy to see her again. Then he turned serious. "Let her go, Hook!"

"Only once you're dead!"

"In your dreams, Codfish!" Peter drew his knife.

"Why don't we see about that?" And with that, Hook swung his sword at Peter. He dodged it while keeping his eyes on Maria. She tried to have a desperate look in her eyes. He then went to fighting as best as he could, obviously trying to impress her.

For some strange reason, Maria couldn't help the fact that she actually liked him fighting for her freedom. Even though he was the reason for most of her stress, for the first time, she saw why everyone saw him as a hero. "Watch this, Wendy!" Peter shouted.  
/Maria did intently. She couldn't keep her eyes off of the two of them fighting.

At one point, one pirate snuck up behind Peter and was about to stab him. Maria didn't want to watch him die. She yelled as loud as she could, "Peter, behind you!"

Hook stared at her in shock. He couldn't believe she helped him. Peter moved out of the way of the sword that threatened him. Then, he flew up out of Hook's reach and swung on the rope connecting the masts together. Hook looked around in frustration.

When he did, he saw a massive wave heading towards the boat. He turned to look at Maria, who was still on the plank. He knew she wouldn't be able to stay on there when that wave hit the boat. "Get off there! Now!" Hook yelled at Maria. She staredat  
/him, very confused. She didn't understand why he wanted her off of the plank, but she started to make her way back to him.

Then, the wave crashed into the other side of the ship, making everyone lose their balance. Maria was thrown off the plank and into the water. She wasn't able to swim because her hands were tied. She panicked, which didn't exactly help her sinking throughthe  
/warm water.

Peter saw her go overboard. He quickly came down onto the deck and looked over the edge of the ship. So did Hook. They both looked at each other, equally afraid. Hook began to move toward the plank, but Peter beat him to it.

Peter went onto the plank and used it like a diving board. He went under the surface and looked around for her. He spotted her near the bottom of the ocean and swam toward her. Maria hadn't been underwater long but was desperately in need of air. Her  
/struggles to get free were getting weaker and weaker. She said goodbye to her life, not knowing Peter was coming to save her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Peter swam over to "Wendy" and scooped her up in his arms. He would not let her drown. Wendy meant the world to him. He couldn't live with himself if anything happened to her. He swam to the surface as fast as he could, knowing she needed air. Oncetheir  
heads were above water, Maria started coughing up water and gasping for air. She couldn't believe her dad would have put her in so much danger. He said he would keep her safe. But, there she was, trembling in Peter's arms.

He quickly got on top of a rock located out in the middle of the ocean. There, he began sawing at the ropes that nearly made his Wendy drown. Maria hands were trembling with fear.

Peter noticed the shaking. "Wendy," he said, "you're okay! Hook can't get you here!" He finished cutting the ropes. Maria felt better having her hands free. She stood up defensively, ready to fight. Peter stood up,too. Then, he embraced her. Maria  
/was stunned. He had no idea who she really was. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too," she said, still trying to sound British. She flipped her blade open and aimed it right at his spine. Her hand was shaking. She was so nervous. It had been her dream to run him through, but she didn't think she would feel so badabout  
doing it! _Okay, Maria. You can do this. Just take a deep breath._ She closed her eyes, drew her hand back, and brought the blade to his back. But, it was like a spell had been cast on her, preventing her from striking him.

She flipped the blade back down and held it in her hand. Peter then took a step back and looked at her. "How are you young again?" he asked.

"Oh! Well, I drank a potion that somehow turned me young again," she explained, hoping that would satisfy him.

Peter's eyes widened with joy. "That's great! Now you can stay, and we can go on adventures!"

"Petah, I can't. You see, my family will worry about me if I do not return."

"But, what about me? I don't want you to leave!"

"Petah, I need to get home." The last thing she wanted to do was to hang out with him.

"Please stay!"

She sighed. "I suppose I can stay for a little while," she said at last.

Peter crowed. "Err-er-err-er-errrrrr!" He flew off the ground a bit. Then, he outstretched his hand to her. "Come on!"

"Petah, I don't remember how to fly."

"Oh! Well, I'll just carry you then!"

Before Maria could object, she was in Peter's arms, airborne. She let out a little yelp and held tightly on to him. Peter chuckled as he zoomed around the mountains and then to Hangman's tree, his hideout.

Maria didn't want to go in there. "Petah, why don't we go to Mermaid Lagoon?" she asked. The one thing she remembered about Wendy was her interest in mermaids.

"Because, the boys will want to see you! They've really missed you!" he said.

"Why?"

"They've missed your stories!" He swooped down into the hole in the top of the tree. Maria screamed in fear. She wanted to be back on the ship. Then, they landed on the wood floor. Maria looked around for an exit. It wasn't safe for her to be there.

The Lost Boys were sleeping. Peter shook all of them awake. "Boys, I've brought you back your mother!" he announced to the tired boys.

The boys charged Maria and knocked her over. She crawled backwards, terrified. The boys were so excited to see her. They shouted and cheered. "Hello, Boys," Maria said timidly. The littlest one came up to her and gave her a hug. "Hey, little guy! How  
/are you?"

He gave her a thumbs up. Maria looked at him, not sure why he didn't talk to her.

"Do you remember me, Wendy?" Another lost boy said.

"Of course I do! I remember all of you!" she lied. Part of her wished she would have payed more attention when Ally forced her to watch Peter Pan. She didn't know any of their names!

The little boy got off of her and walked over to Peter. Maria stood up and sat down on the bed, already exhausted from the day. The way she sat made Peter confused. Wendy sat with her legs together, and Maria was sitting with her legs apart. Her posture  
/wasn't normal, and she didn't seem excited at all to see the boys. Peter sat down next to her. He lifted her chin up and looked into her eyes. "Wendy, what's the matter with you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not acting the same as you used to. Are you sick?"

"No. I'm not sick! I'm fine, really. Just a little tired."

"Okay. Well, why don't you tell a story!" The boys all wanted one.

"Um, I don't know if I'll be as good as I used to be. And, I don't want to make you listen to a bad story!"

"What about a song?"

"My voice is tired. Plus, I don't really like to sing in front of people."

"Yes you do! You sang a song about mothers once! Remember?"

"I did?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, yeah. That's right," she said while moving her hands.

Peter saw something black on her left hand. He squinted to get a better look. Then, he realized what it was. A tattoo. He reached for his dagger and tackled her onto the floor.

"Ow! Petah!" she complained. "What are you doing?"

"I know who you are!" Peter yelled. "You're Captain Hook's daughter!"

"What? No I'm not! It's me Wendy!"

"Oh, if you were Wendy, then why do you have a tattoo on your hand?"

Maria didn't know what to say. There was no covering up that. "Fine! You caught me." Her voice returned to normal.

"Boys, grab the rope!" The boys obeyed and went off.

"Wait, what?"

"We don't trust you." He said while pinning her arms to the floor with his hands.

She cringed a little. "You know, this is noway you should treat theperson who spared your stupid life."

"When did you ever spare my life? You only want to kill me!" He lifted some of the pressure off her wrists, giving Maria a chance to get free.

She pushed him away from her and sat up. "That's true. But, I told you about the pirate behind you. And, I had the chance to stab you on the rock, but did I? No! I mean, I wanted to, but I just couldn't do it."

"Well, you were probably distracted by my good-looks." He smiled as he straightened his hat.

"Oh yeah. That's it," she retorted.

They sat in the floor for a while, not saying anything. Then, a short Lost Boy holding a bunch of rope walked up to them. He took it and stood up. Maria looked up at him with her big, blue eyes, not wanting to be tied up again. "Am I going to have to  
/tie you up?"he asked her.

"Honestly, I really don't care about hurting you right now. I just want to go home and go to bed."

He looked at her and set the rope down on the bed. Then, he offered her his hand and helped her stand up. Something seemed way off to Maria. Was he actually being nice to her?She figured it was because she was dressed like Wendy. His eyes weren't

mean and viscous like she thought they were going to be, but sweet and innocent. "So," she said, "how do I get out of here?"

"Oh, um, I'll take you," he replied. "But, you're going to have to wear this." He pulled outa handkerchief and started to cover her eyes.

Maria backed up and blocked the fabric from going near her eyes with her hands. "Uh, I'm not going anywhere blindfolded with you!" she stated.

"Oh,c'mon! I'm not going to hurt you!" Peter coaxed. He took a step towards her and tried again. But, Maria refused to wear it. "Fine. If you don't want to wear this you don't have to. But, you'll have to stay here, and the boys will make you their  
/mother."

Maria didn't want to be there any longer. She finally agreed to wear the blindfold. He put it around her eyes and tied it tightly. "Why am I wearing this again?" she asked, annoyed.

"We don't want you to know how to get here."

"Well, that's what charts are for!"

"Why are girls so stubborn?" Peter asked, not really wanting to know. Maria didn't say anything. Peter took the rope and tied it around one wrist. She began to feel vulnerable and didn't like it.

"Can we go? I'm going to be late for dinner at this rate."

"Yeah. C'mon." He pulled her out of the house and led her through the forest. Maria didn't say much unless he asked her something.

Once they were on the beach, he took the blindfold off of her and slipped the rope off her wrist. She smiled at him and was happy to be free. She began to walk away but suddenly turned around. "I guess I'll see you around," she said, trying to be nice.

"Yeah," Peter replied. "I'll see you later."

When Peter flew off, Maria headed back home. She was exhausted. It had been a long day, and she wasn't used to Neverland time yet.

As she walked onto the port, she saw Hook leaning against the railing. He seemed scared and worried. She walked up to him slowly and tapped him on the shoulder. "Maria!" Hook exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. "I was so worried  
/about you!Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine," she replied.

"Oh, I was so terrified when I saw you go overboard. I thought I lost you."

"Dad, you will never lose me." Maria rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"Did you kill him?" Hook asked hopefully.

"No, I was going to, but I just felt bad about it considering he saved me."

"Oh." Hook said, disappointed. "Did he find out it was you?"

"Yeah. He saw my tattoo." He sighed. Why didn't he think to cover that up?"Don't worry. We'll get him next time. We have all summer!"

"You're right! We can do this!" Hook patted her on the back and told her to go get ready for dinner.

Maria headed into her room and got into her pajamas. After dinner, she was going to go straight to bed. She flopped down on her black comforter and let her eyesflutter shut.

* * *

 **Hey, guys!**

**Thank you so much for reading my book. Just so you know, the Captain Hook in my story is the one from Once Upon a Time,and the rest of the characters are from Disney's version. I don't own Peter Pan.**

 **Please favorite,follow,and review!**

 **See ya next time!**

 **Kacibubbles**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A few days later, Maria was cleaning the deck with a sponge. Hook's birthday was the next day, and she had no idea what she should get him. Obviously, she wanted to get him his hand back, but that would require going into the beast that ate it. And there  
was

no way she would dive into to certain death for that. She had to think of something soon.

She dipped the sponge into the bucket and accidentally splashed herself in the face. That's when a brilliant idea popped into her head. She was going to bring Peter Pan to the ship and let her dad kill him. The more she thought about it, the more she  
/excited she became.

Then, she started thinking about how she would do it. Maybe, I'll wound him badly enough to keep him from walking and drag him back with me. Actually, that might work! I'll carry a sack with me so I can throw him in it. He wouldn't be able to escape that  
/way. Oh, I can't wait to see the look on my dad's face. He'll be so happy!

Even though she had spent an entire day with him, it did not lessen her desire to run him through. Of course, she wanted to be the one to kill him, but either way, he would be dead. She couldn't keep her excitement contained. "Yes!" She squealed. The  
/pirates all stared at her. Maria looked up from her bucket and gulped.

"What, Love?" Hook asked.

"I just thought of something cool. That's all!" She smiled nervously.

"Okay," he replied, kind of chuckling.

When he walked off, Maria sighed. That was way too close! She didn't want anyone to know about her plan. If something didn't pan out, it would be humiliating to return empty handed.

That whole day, she couldn't concentrate. It was too awesome of a plan to be calm. And the best part, it was happening that night! During dinner, she gorged herself in high-calorie food. She knew she was going to need a lot of energy. Not only was she  
/going to fight Peter, but she would be up late, too.

She couldn't sleep at all that night. She tossed and turned under her comforter. Part of her was nervous about doing this all alone. But, she knew she would be all right, as long as she could give him a bad enough cut to keep him being able to hurt her.  
/She knew the plan wasn't perfect, but it would have to do.

Once the clock struck two a.m., Maria decided to head out for Peter's hideout. She slipped on her shoes and grabbed a flashlight. Then, she grabbed her sword and headed out of her room. After that, she stepped into her dad's office, looking for a map  
/of Neverland.

Once she found it, it was time for her to go on her way to Peter's home. She walked off the ship confidently and switched her flashlight on. Then, she moved into the forest. It was hard for Maria to navigate through the it though because everything looked  
/the same. Even with the map, she couldn't tell what tree she was near.

She stopped for a moment and studied the map. She had no idea where she was. Looking around, she leaned against a tree trunk and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. It was super hot and humid outside. Luckily, she was just wearing an oversized t-shirt  
/and knit shorts. She didn't think to bring a water bottle. Her mouth was dry and she needed something to drink. She had to keep going, though. She wouldn't give up yet.

And then, the worst thing that could've happened, happened. The flashlight began to flicker. "Oh no," she said to herself. She banged it against her leg, hoping that the battery was just out of place. But soon enough, the light was all of the way out,  
/leaving Maria in complete darkness. The only light there was came from the moon.

"Why did this have to happen to me right now? I'm just trying to do something nice for my dad!" she yelled into the sky. By now, she had given up all hope for this plan to work. She was super upset. Now, she didn't have anything for Hook.

She had no light, no water, and no Peter.

She sighed and looked over her right shoulder. What she saw made her almost cry happy tears. It was Hangman's Tree. She quickly stood straight up and began walking towards the tree that housed all six of the Lost Boys and their leader. She gulped as she  
/came close enough to touch it.

She reminded herself that she had to stay calm. If she was nervous, she wouldn't fight as well as she usually could. She was a great fencer unless she got nervous. Then, she couldn't think right and could be beaten easily.

Her heart was pounding as she approached the door. She opened it as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake anyone up. The last time she was in there, she saw a curtain hanging in an opening. She figured that was where Peter slept. So, she crept to it  
/and slowly pushed it away so she could peep her head into the room. Her guess was right. Peter was lying in his hammock with his teddy bear in his arms.

She felt sick with worry as she walked right up to him. Then, she pulled her sword out of the belt and held it in her hand. After that, she covered Peter's mouth with her other hand and prepared to strike. She aimed her sword right at his thigh, thinking  
/he wouldn't be able to walk if he was hurt there. Of course, part of her did want to just stab him in the chest and kill him right then, but that was her dad's job.

She closed her eyes and let her sword drop. His eyes shot wide open as he yelled and rolled out of the hammock and onto the floor. Maria opened her eyes and saw where he was. He was laying on his stomach and panting heavily. She saw what her sword had  
/done to him. It left a pretty good scratch on his leg. He sat up and rubbed his head; he had hit it pretty hard during the fall.

He hadn't seen Maria yet, giving her a chance to hide. She moved stealthily outside the room and pressed herself against a wall. Holding her breath, she gripped her sword with both hands and listened to the footsteps coming closer.

Peter was in shock. He slept through the intrusion like a baby. After testing out his leg, he drew his dagger and started for the curtain. "I know you're here! Show yourself!" he ordered. He threw back the curtain and stepped out next to where Maria was  
/standing. He didn't see her because he turned his head the other way.

Maria moved her sword against the back of his neck. Peter turned sharply to face her. "What are you doing here?" he whispered.

"My dad's birthday is today, and I wanted to get him something he has always wanted. So, I'm here for you," she replied in a hushed tone.

"Why?"

"So he can finally kill you, Idiot!"

"Oh. Well, you know, you're going to have to catch me before you do any of that."

"Yeah, I know." Maria dropped her sword to get Peter to think she was quitting. "I don't know what I was thinking! How could I ever capture you?" Then, she swung at him.

He blocked the swing without any trouble. "Nice try," Peter chuckled. Maria growled at him and swung again. Peter blocked it again and trapped it with his hand. She tried to get her cutlass free but failed. Then, she twisted it quickly and sliced Peter's  
/palm. "Ow!" he shouted.

"Oh, did I hurt you?" she teased. That's when Peter came at her. He pushed her into the wall right under a shelf, making the trinkets fall on her. She let out a high-pitched scream and quickly moved out from under the shelf and into safety. The noise  
/made one of the boys stir. Maria and Peter looked at each other. He smirked. If the Lost Boys woke up, she wouldn't be able to hurt him. She saw his wheels turning and rushed out the door. He darted out after her.

Peter thought of the fight as more of a game. He would never actually hurt Maria. He couldn't! He promised her mom that he would take care of her. Maria, however, was totally invested in the fight. Her brow was sweating and she knew she couldn't lose.  
/There was power behind her swings. Hook would have been proud of her if he had been there.

Maria had Peter against the tree and tried to strike him with her sword but ended up getting it struck in the tree. When she tried to pull it out, it wouldn't budge. Peter kind of chuckled as he watched her struggle. "Oh, shut up!" Maria yelled.

"Here. Let me try," he said nicely.

"No! I don't need your help!" Maria kept tugging, but her sword wouldn't move.

"Okay, fine. I won't! But I will give you a five second head start."

"What?" Maria didn't know what he was talking about.

Then, he started counting. "One. Two. Three.-"

Instantly, dashed into the woods. Her heart was racing and she was honestly scared. I shouldn't have done this alone! she thought. She looked behind her when Peter said five. She didn't know where he was going to pop out from. But, she kept running  
/in the same direction. Then, she looked back again and saw him chasing her with a dangerous grin on his face.

While she wasn't looking, she tripped and fell flat on her face. Pain flooded her through her ankle. "Ow!" she shrieked. It was swelling and beginning to turn purple. Then, she looked back and saw Peter was still coming after her. So, she scooted backwards  
/into a bush. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

Peter, not know she was hurt, tackled her and got on top of her. "Peter, stop!" Maria pleaded.

"Why? Are you scared?" he asked playfully. "Are you a codfish like your father?"

"No! I think I sprained my ankle!" Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

Peter could tell that she was telling the truth because she had never cried in front of him. "Oh." He quickly got off her and crouched down. "Which one?"

"My left one." Maria sat up and cradled it. That was the first time she let her guard down while she was with him since she was little.

"What can I do to help?" Peter asked, still trying to be positive.

"Just stay away from me! I don't need your help." Maria looked at him confused. "Why do you want to help me, anyway? We don't like each other!"

"Because, I feel bad. I didn't think you would get hurt. I was just playing around!" He felt a knot form in his stomach. Why did he have to chase her? "If you want, I'll take you home." He flashed a sweet smile at her.

She sniffed her snot up. "No. I'm fine. I don't need your help." And with that, she attempted to get on her feet. The pain was too much, however, and she dropped back down. Peter sighed and helped her up.

Maria pressed against his shoulders to keep herself steady. When she looked up, her eyes met Peter's. They were deep brown and gentle.Maria had a thing forbrown eyes. They always had a way of melting her heart.Peter  
felt himself start to stare into her thought theywere super pretty.

"You know, you're kinda cute when you're not trying to kill me," Peter said in a voice that could melt even the coldest of hearts.

Maria blushed. "You're not so bad yourself," she said, not even realizing what was happening. Nobody ever said that about her. She was always just the weird girl at school. But, at the moment, she didn't feel like she was being judged, even though she  
/was a pirate.

They were still staring into each other's eyes when Maria finally looked away, shaking her head. What are you doing? she thought. You can't like him! He's the one who cut off your father's hand! She looked back at him, secretly wanting to look into his  
/eyes again. "What time is it?"

"Four-thirty last time I saw."

"Great! My dad's going to be up before I get home." She let out a sigh and looked in the direction of the ship. There was no way she could walk on her ankle. It hurt too much.

Peter slid one arm under her knees and another behind her back. Then, he lifted her off the ground. "C'mon. I'll fly you home." Peter said. Maria couldn't believe how nice he was being to her. I don't understand any of this. He should be threatening me  
/and holding a knife against my throat, not carrying me home! And, why does he care about my ankle? It's not like I've been nice to him. I mean, I was trying to hurt him when I came here!

Then, Peter flew into the sky, interrupting her thoughts. The wind was blowing in her face, much like how it would if she would have been riding a bike. But nothing compared to the feeling of being completely airborne. For a moment, she completely forgot  
/about her ankle being sprained.

When they got to the ship, Peter carried her inside and began to go into her room. Maria couldn't go to bed yet; she didn't have anything to give Hook for his birthday. "Forget my room," she said. "I've need to get something to drink. And, I need ice  
/on my ankle."

"Maria, I'll get you what you need, but you need to get your ankle up," he explained. She started to protest, but he shut her down. Once her ankle was all propped up by pillows, Peter went into the kitchen and grabbed an ice pack and a glass of water.  
/After that, he carried it back to Maria and placed the ice on her ankle. Then, he handed her the glass of water.

Maria let him cover her up with a blanket. The ice helped get rid of the pain. "Feel better?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," she replied quietly. Her energy was completely gone. She yawned and slumped a little. "What am I going to do? I have nothing for my dad now."

Peter "Do you want me to tell Mr. Smee that you're hurt?"

"No!" Maria said with sudden enthusiasm. "I don't want anyone to know about anything that happened tonight. It's humiliating!"

"Well, you're going to have a hard time hiding it considering you can't walk!"

She looked at him with disappointment in her eyes. "I know."

Peter still felt bad about her getting hurt. "Well, I think I'm gonna head home now. Let me know if you need anything."

"Alright. Thanks."

"You're welcome." He gave her another smile and walked out of the room.

Maria smiled back. She still didn't know why he helped her. But, as she thought about it more, her mind became tired and she fell asleep.

Hook went into Maria's bedroom the next morning to find her snoozing away with her ankle all propped up. He frowned and crossed his arms. Then, he shook her awake.

Maria woke up with a start, not remembering what had happened at first. "Maria?" He started. "Are you all right? Why is your ankle swollen and bruised?"

Maria wasn't with her senses yet. "What? Oh yeah! I'm fine," she lied. Her ankle was aching, but she didn't let the pain show.

"What happened to your ankle?"

"It's a long story that I don't feel like reliving."

"What did you do?"

"Oh my gosh! I almost forgot! Happy birthday!" She exclaimed, trying to change the subject.

"Thanks! Can I get a birthday hug?" He held his arms out and waited for her.

Maria's face turned to a fearful expression. She knew the pain would kill her if she tried to walk. But she still refused to let anyone know about her adventure. So, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. But when she tried to stand by herself,  
/her leg gave out and she caught herself by wrapping her arms around Hook.

"Maria, what are you doing?" he scolded.

"I can't stand," she admitted.

"Why not?"

"I sprained my ankle last night."

"Wait, what? How?" he said much more softly, now understanding why she was acting so odd. He helped sit back back down. She told him about the plan and what happened, except the part where she thought Peter was kind of cute. "Maria, why didn't you tell  
/someone about your plan? Smee would have gone with you and kept you safe. Then, you wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

"I didn't want anyone to know in case if I failed."

"Love, nobody would've of judged you! You're the bravest girl I know! Besides, if anyone would have, I would have made them walk the plank," he laughed.

Maria laughed too. He could make her laugh even at her lowest moments. "Thanks for making me feel better."

"That's what fathers are for! Now, let's take care of your ankle."

* * *

 **Hey guys!**

 **Sorry for the wait. I had to study for an exam and finish up my college essay.**

 **I hope you liked this chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought of it.**

 **I want to thank everyone who has favorited and followed this story! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!**

 **Thanks again,**

 **Kacibubbles**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After a few days, Maria could walk again-well, limp. She couldn't shove her foot in a shoe, but she was able to get around pretty well. Once she put on her clothes, she decided to go back for her sword. But this time, she let Hook know where she was  
going. He was a little nervous to let her go all by herself, but he let her do it anyway.

She took a chart her with her and made sure to bring a water bottle. Navigating the forest was much easier in the sunlight. She could see the hideout about thirty minutes into her journey.

Once there, Maria circled the tree and found her sword still stuck in the same spot it was the last time she saw it.. But when she tried to pull it out, it wouldn't even budge.

The Lost Boys spotted her as they were walking in the forest. "Guys, look!" one whispered while pointing at Maria. "It's Captain Hook's daughter!"

"What do we do?" another one asked.

"I dunno! What would Peter want us to do?"

"We could capture her."

"Remember the time we shot down Wendy? That didn't go so well. Maybe we should just leave her alone."

"But she's a pirate! Peter will be proud of us if we take her down!"

"You're right! Ready yourselves, boys!"

Maria thought she heard talking and turned her head to the sound. If it was Indians, she was toast. "Who's there?" she asked firmly. Calmly, she headed over to the bush that was hiding the boys. The talking stopped, making her feel uncomfortable.

Then, the boys charged her and knocked her off her feet. Maria yelped in fear as she hit the hard ground. She wasn't ready for that at all! "Hey! Get off of me!" she ordered. But the boys didn't listen to her. They pinned her limbs to the ground. The  
littlest one got on top of her sore ankle, making her yell in pain. The Lost Boy dressed like a fox got on top of her and held an arrow against her neck. "Why are you here?"

"I was just getting my sword. I left it here a few days ago."

"Yeah right! You were probably going to poison our food!"

"What? No! I really just want my sword. So, can you please let me go?"

"No! We don't trust you!"

"Boys!" someone shouted.

They all looked up. Maria smiled when she saw Peter. "Look, Peter! We caught the pirate girl!" the one who was dressed like a bear said, excited.

He crossed his arms and frowned. "Get off of her! She may be a pirate, but she's also a lady!" Peter commanded. Maria bit her lip to hide her smile when he called her a lady. The boys obeyed and did as he said. He was super nice when he was happy, but  
he could be a tad scary when he was mad. "Get in line."

When they were finally all off of her, Maria sat up and rubbed her ankle before she got up. "I'm sorry about that," Peter said.

"It's okay. I'm fine." She glanced at the boys and tried hr best not to yell at them. The littlest one hid behind one of the other boys when she made eye contact with them. Then, she felt something she had never felt before. Why did he hide when she looked  
at him? Why did she care? Was she that scary? She thenfocused her attention on Peter, trying her best not to care.

"Why are you here?" Peter asked, clueless.

"I came back for my sword, but I can't get it out," she pointed to it and sighed.

"You want me to try?"

"Um, sure."

Peter went over to the sword and tried to pull it out, but it was really in there. "How did you even get it stuck so badly?"

"I guess I was so determined to hurt you that I rammed it pretty hard."

"Well, I can't get it out." He paused to think."Maybe if we pull together it will come out."

"It's worth a shot." She walked next to him and reached for the handle at the same time hedid. They looked at their hands touching, and Maria pulled her's back. Even though she had developing feelings for Peter, she wouldn't be caught dead holding  
hands.

"Um, you grab the lower end and I'll grab the upper end." They placed their hands accordingly.

After one hard tug, the sword was free. They both celebrated. It worked. He handed her the sword, and she swung it around playfully before putting it in her scabbard. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He looked at her with his big brown eyes and rocked back and forth on his feet. "How's your ankle?"

"It still hurts, but I canwalk on it."

"That's good."

"Yeah." Maria looked into his eyes started staring. Peter also stared. Her eyes were blue like Hook's, but her's were much softer. They sparkled like the ocean.

"Uh, Peter. What are you doing?" one Lost boy said, making him come out of his reverie.

Peter shook his head. "Nothing," he said.

Maria stood there, feeling awkward. _Why did he look at me like that? Do I have something in my teeth? she thought._ Immediately, she picked at her teeth, worried. _Wait. What am I doing?_ After a second of thinking, she folded her hands behind  
her back. "Well, I probably should get going. I'm supposed make dinner tonight," she said.

"Oh, okay. Want me to walk with you?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, sure." Peter walked up next to her, and together, they made their way through the forest. At first, it was pretty quiet. Then, Peter got to talking. He told her about some of the battles with the pirates he had won. That's always how he tried to  
impress girl. Maria didn't seem that impressed though. She thought it was cute that he was trying, but every story he told ended with her dad getting hurt.

As they entered the beach, Maria thanked Peter for entertaining her on the walk back and started for the ship. Peter sighed as she walked away, not wanting the time to be over. Maria enjoyed hearing about his adventures, and she was hoping she would be  
able to hear more. "Hey, wait!" Peter shouted finally.

Maria, who was already on the dock, turned around, interested about what he wanted to say. "Yeah?"

Peter raced over to her. "I heard that there's going to be a party at the Indians' Camp tomorrow. I was invited and was wondering if you would like to come."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" She was kind of shocked. She didn't even know he knew what dates were.

"Yeah." He shifted nervously.

Maria's heart skipped a beat. "Uh, sure! What time do you want to meet up?"

"Sundown, at the land bridge."

"Okay! I'll be there."

"Great! See you then!"

"Bye!"

Peter walked off, and Maria squealed, super excited. She didn't know what got into her. It was as if Peter and her had never fought before. The way he looked at her made her have butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't focus while she was making dinner.  
Peter, her worst enemy, asked her out! She didn't know why he would want to date her, but he did. Part of her wondered if this was just one big prank he was pulling on her. But the way he looked at her certainly wasn't fake.

Hook and Smee noticed she was acting funny that didn't know what was going on in her head. She barely touched her food, and later that night, Hook heard singing coming from the bathroom as he was walking by. That was rare. She never sang  
where anyone could hear her. He racked his brain about the topic, but he couldn't come up with anything.

* * *

 **Hello!**

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 **I know this chapter is short,but I thought it was a good stopping point. I hope you liked it. Please follow, favorite, and review if you did!**

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 **I'll try to get the next chapter up tomorrow!**

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 **That's it for now!**

 **Kacibubbles**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter6

Maria got up early the next morning. She couldn't sleep. How could she? She was going on her first date that night with her father's arch nemesis! After she threw on some work clothes, she immediately she doing her chores around the ship. She made scrambled  
eggs and sausages for the crew and swabbed the deck. Even though no one knew about her date, she felt awful!

I am such a traitor! How could I do this to Dad? she scolded herself. Why did I say yes? I knew what I was doing. I shouldn't go tonight. But that would hurt Peter. Ugh. Okay, I'll go tonight, but I won't go out with him anymore.

The thought of betraying Hook made her have a knot in her stomach. She couldn't believe she was even going out with Peter in the first place!

When it was getting near sundown that day, Maria was getting very anxious about her date. But she decided she should try to try to have fun. After all, it was her first date.

"What do I even wear to this thing?" she asked herself as she rummaging through her clothes. She didn't own any dresses. Aggravated, she blew the hair out of her eyes. Then, she found a nice, loose, cream tank. "This will do." She quickly pulled her black  
skinny jeans.

After she slipped it on, she looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't know what do to with her hair. She began playing with it to figure out what looked the best. Just then, she heard knocking on her closed door. "Come in!" she yelled. She saw it was  
her father in the reflection and gulped.

"Hey, Maria," he began. "You look nice." He looked her over and frowned slightly.

"Thank you." She turned around and looked at Hook.

"So do you have special plans for tonight?" He leaned against her desk and hid his frown.

"I'm going to the Indians' party. I thought it would be fun."

"Are you going with someone?" He raised one eyebrow, which usually meant he was onto her.

Maria froze. She didn't know what to say. If she told Hook the truth, she would definitely be grounded for life. "No. It's just me," she lied. It wasn't easy lying to him. He could tell when she was. Plus, it made her feel terrible.

"Oh, okay." He acted oblivious, but knew she was hiding something. "Well, I hope you have fun!"

"Thanks, Dad!" Maria thought she pulled that off pretty well.

"You're welcome!" He walked out of the room and into his office. There, he paced back and forward trying to figure out what she was hiding. Smee popped his walked in with a bowl of salad. "Smee, I need to talk to you about Maria," he said, worried.

"What's wrong, Cap'n?" Smee asked.

"Have you noticed that Maria's been acting weird lately?"

"Yes. She seems distracted when she's doing chores."

"Well, I heard her singing in the bathroom! And, she never sings unless she knows she's alone. I know my daughter, and something isn't right."

"Well, maybe this is how girls act at her age! I mean, we only have men on the ship. We're not exactly experts on girls."

That gave Hook an idea. "You don't think she has a crush on someone, do you?"

"Maybe. She is at that age. I think anyway."

"Well, I want you to follow her tonight. And if you see anything suspicious, you tell me!"

"Aye aye, Cap'n!" He walked out of the room, went back to the kitchen, and did some chores. Then, he heard footsteps heading outside. He knew it was Maria's. Her footsteps were lighter than everybody else's on the ship.

Meanwhile, Maria was getting more and more nervous about her date. She didn't know if she was dressed right or if Peter would like her hair. Once at the land bridge, she decided to sit and wait for Peter to come. It wasn't quite sundown yet, so Peter  
wouldn't be there yet.

When ten minutes went by, Maria looked around and didn't see Peter. But soon enough, she saw him flying his way over to her. The Lost Boys were running underneath him.

"Hi!" he said. The boys ran past him into the party. They were so excited to be there.

"What's on your head?" Maria asked while standing up.

"Oh! It's an Indian headdress. You know, I'm kinda a big deal around here."

"Really? Why?"

"I saved Tiger Lily from your dad."

"Oh, yeah. I remember hearing about that." She put her hands on her hips while making small talk. Then, she looked around and saw a figure standing behind a bush. "Uh oh!" The figure was short and plump, and Maria knew it was Mr. Smee.

"What?" Maria drew her sword, making Peter uneasy. "Whatcha doing?"

"Fight me."

"Why?"

"Mr. Smee is watching us! And if he sees us, my dad will kill me!"

Peter pulled out his dagger, understanding what he had to do. When Mr. Smee saw this, his heart began to pound. He didn't want Maria hurt. So he pulled out his little revolver and aimed it wobbly towards Peter.

Maria noticed him and jumped in front of Peter. "No! Don't shoot!" she commanded. But Smee didn't hear her and fired at Peter.

Peter pushed Maria back so she wouldn't get hit, and laid down on the ground. However, he pushed her so hard she she lost her balance and fell off the edge of the land bridge. Luckily, she caught herself with one hand. Looking down, she saw big, jagged  
rocks pointing up at her with crashing water surrounding them. And the worst part was, she could feel her hand slipping. "Help!" she screamed.

Peter sat up and looked around for Maria, but he didn't see her! "Maria! Where are you?" he yelled.

"Over here! Hurry! I'm slipping!"

He crawled over to the voice and saw her dangling over what would be certain death if she fell. "Maria, give me your hand! I'll pull you up!"

Maria threw her arm up but it didn't reach Peter's outstretched hand. Instead, she slid farther down towards the rocks. Only her fingers were keeping her from falling. She was scared. "Peter, I can't hold on for much longer." And with that, she fell.

Peter dove after her. Luckily, she landed in his arms. Opening her eyes, she looked at Peter, scared. "Are you okay?" he asked, just as scared..

"Got a big cut on my hand, but yeah." She showed him the nasty gash, and he frowned. He didn't want her to get hurt, and yet, she still did.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing we're at the camp. Indians are great at fixing cuts." He smiled to try to calm her down. Then, he flew carefully back onto the land bridge. Maria stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, forgetting that Smee was  
watching.

"Thank you for saving me," Maria said, still pretty shaken up.

"Well, that's what I'm here for." He squeezed her tightly, happy she was okay.

Smee couldn't believe what he was seeing, was Maria hugging Peter? Did he save her? Did they like each other? All these thoughts flooded his head as he watched the two kids talk. He eventually worked up the courage to confront her about it. "Maria, what  
are you doing here with Peter?" he scolded.

Maria froze. She had forgotten all about him. "Why are you following me?" she asked suspiciously.

"I asked you first." He crossed his arms stubbornly.

She glanced at Peter before speaking again. "I'm on a date with him."

"Is he the reason you've been acting so weird?"

"Yeah." Ashamed, she

"Just wait until your father hears about this!" He snatched her wrist and started to drag her back to the ship.

"Mr. Smee, please don't tell my dad! He'll punish me for life! I won't ever be allowed to go on land ever again!"

"Well, he wants to know what you're doing, and I can't lie to him!"

"Wait. Did he send you to spy on me?"

"Yes." His voice went low.

"I can't believe he doesn't trust me!" Part of her could believe it. But he was her father!

"Should he?" His voice went back up.

Maria looked down ashamed. "No."

Smee looked up at Peter and then at Maria. "You know, go on and enjoy yourself. I'll bend the truth to your father just this once. But you gotta clean up your act. If you don't, he will start spying on you, himself." Maria was like family to him. He would  
do anything to make her happy.

"Thank you, Mr. Smee! I promise I will be more focused from now on." She gave him a big hug.

"You're welcome. Now, go have fun!" Peter walked down next to Maria. Smee turned to him. "I'm trusting you with her. Don't make me regret it."

"I won't," Peter said while taking her by the hand. Smee smiled at the them and walked away hesitantly. He did want her to end up getting hurt.

Maria sighed. "That was way too close," she said.

"Yeah," Peter agreed. "If Hook ever finds out that we aren't enemies, he will try to kill me."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he would kill me, too." Maria shuddered at the thought. "Well, wanna go in?" She smiled excitedly, and he nodded yes.

As they were approaching the opening, Tiger Lily, the chief's daughter, saw Peter coming. She had a huge crush on him. After all, he did save her. "Flying Eagle!" she cried as she ran up to him and squeezed him tightly. Maria let go of Peter's hand  
and let the two hug it out. But then, Tiger Lily decided to plant her lips right on Peter's.

Maria's heart sunk like an anchor. Why was she all over him? Why was Peter not stopping her?

Eventually, Tiger Lily backed off of him and saw Maria. "What are you doing here?" she asked harshly.

Maria didn't speak. She was still in shock from seeing her kiss Peter. She was also upset that "I invited her." Peter answered shyly.

"But she's a pirate!" she whispered into his ear.

"She's not like the others! Trust me."

Tiger Lily studied Maria for what seemed like an hour but was really only a few seconds. "I guess she can stay," she said at last.

"Thanks, Tiger Lily."

"You're welcome. Now come on! The party's starting." She took him by the hand and pulled as hard she possibly could, forcing Peter away from Maria. He stretched out his hand for her, but she didn't reach it in time.

After a little while, Peter noticed that Maria was nowhere to be seen. He made his way out to the land bridge and saw her walking back to the ship. Quickly, he ran after her, not wanting her to leave. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked nicely.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Maria lied. She kept walking but was stopped in her tracks.

"Then why are you pouting?"

"Because, I didn't know you had a girlfriend!"

"Who? Tiger Lily? No! She's not my girlfriend! She just likes me!"

"Oh. Does she know that?"

"I don't know. But it doesn't matter. Let's just go back and have fun!"

"Okay." They held hands as they walked back into the camp.

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The teepees were huge and the fire was very bright. Maria had never been in the encampment before. She always thought it would be dangerous. However, nothing there looked dangerous. Some kids were playing with the Lost Boys. Adults were bringingout  
large drums and tables. Others were carrying food. It looked completely safe.

"C'mon! Let's go say hi to the chief!" Peter said.

Maria was looking around when her eyes fixed on the chief. He was about two feet taller than she was, and he looked very strong. Terror flooded through her. "Uh, Peter, I don't think I should. I'm a pirate, and I really shouldn't be here." The chief wasconversing  
with some teenage Indians and seemed to be in a pleasant mood. 

"You'll be fine! Just stay with me! I won't let you get hurt." Peter let go of her hand and started to walk in front of her.

She sighed and rubbed her arms, wishing she had a jacket. It was really breezy for a summer night. As they walked past the totem pole located in the center of the camp, she walked as close as she could to Peter.

Peter confidently walked over to the chief. "How!" Peter said happily. Maria stood behind him, a little scared, a little entranced.

"How!" The chief replied his deep voice. It intimidated Maria. "Who is this?"

"This is Maria, daughter of James Hook." Peter pushed her forward so she could say hi. She glared at a Peter for a second before looking back at the chief.

The chief turned to Maria. "Go back! Pirates aren't welcome here!"

That drew attention from all the Indians. They all stared and readied their weapons. "Sir," Maria began nervously, "I'm not going to hurt anybody. I swear." Peter looked around at all the weapons. He put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her back tohim  
protectively.

"It doesn't matter. Pirates are untrustworthy!"

Maria looked to Peter for some help. She didn't know what to do. Everybody had weapons ready to kill her. If she even touched her sword, she would be shot at.

Peter felt terrible. He was just trying to have a fun night with her. "Chief, I won't let her hurt anyone. Just please let her stay," Peter said. Tiger Lily's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe Peter was defending a pirate.

Maria looked down at her feet and dug her shoe in the sand. "You know what? I get it. You can't trust me. I shouldn't have come. It's just that, on the mainland, I don't get invited to a lot of parties. So when I heard about this one, I'd thought I'd  
/come and have fun. But obviously I'm not welcome here, so I'll show myself out," she said sadly She turned around and took a step toward the exit. Peter stared at her in shock. He didn't know what just happened.

When she turned around to leave, the chief felt started to believe she could be trusted. She wasn't bad; she was just misunderstood. "Wait," he said suddenly. Maria turned around with her hands folded in front of her. "You can stay, if you would like."

"What?" Tiger Lily shouted.

The chief shot her a look, and she immediately composed herself. But on the inside, she was boiling mad. She didn't want her anywhere near Peter. He belonged with her, not a pirate.

"Thank you!" Maria said sweetly.

"You're welcome. Now, I think it's time for us to have dinner!" Peter grabbed Maria's hand and led her over to the table. Food was piled so high that when she sat down. she couldn't see the people on the other side.

Peter couldn't wait to shove his face full of all the food. There was chicken, steak, pork, stew, corn, potatoes, strawberries, blueberries, and grapes. After the chief thanked the god for the food, he got as much as he could onto his plate. Maria noticed  
/the he did not have one piece of fruit on it. Funny thing was, her's was mostly fruit and veggies. The strawberries were sweet and juicy, and the potatoes tasted salty. She loved salty food. The stew reminded her of Margaret's cooking. Delicious!

After dinner was finished, drums started to beat and war cries rang out. The tables were moved to make room for the dancing that was about to take place. Maria smiled shyly when Peter cane over to her. He extended a hand out for her. "Wanna dance?" he  
/asked.

But before she could answer, Tiger Lily grabbed his arm and pulled him away. "I would love to!" she said. Maria was flabbergasted. Peter tried to protest, but it was to late. Tiger Lily was already dancing. He joined her reluctantly. What was he supposed  
/to do? He couldn't ditch her.

Maria frowned and let out an aggravated sigh. That was supposed to be my dance! she thought. The pirate in her wished that Peter had never saved her from drowning on that rock. But then she felt guilty for thinking that. Tiger Lily was just crazy about  
/him. And who could blame her? Peter was a great guy. Maria just wanted to be the one dancing with him.

The Lost Boys were also dancing. One noticed Maria was all alone and decided to check on her. "Hey, Maria. Why aren't you dancing?" he asked.

"That's why," she said while pointing to the two kids. She rested her headed in her ands and sighed again.

The boy sighed, too. "I'll get her away from him."

"Really? You would do that for me?" Maria straightened up a little. She was shocked. Never before had a Lost Boy been nice to her.

"Yeah," he said nicely. "Now, come on!"

"Thanks, Fox Boy." Maria said while standing up.

"My name is Slightly." He took her hand and led her towards the dancing. They stopped when they got to Peter and Tiger Lily.

"Oh, sorry." Maria felt some butterflies in her stomach being so close to Peter. Slightly got in the dancing formation. She softly put one hand on his shoulder and the other one in his.

Peter saw the two dancing and jealousy engulfed him. Why would Slightly be dancing with his date? They two boys made eye contact. Sightly mouthed the word "switch" and let Peter know what to do.

The two boys twirled the girls and made them switch places.

Peter slipped his hand onto her back and the other one into her hand. Maria placed her hand on his shoulder, and they began spinning quickly to the beat. He twirled her a few times. Maria showed a little smile on her face. She was having so much fun.

The two kids talked and danced for hours. Slightly had to keep Tiger Lily occupied, whether it was hiding something or saying that they needed more firewood. He wished desperately that Maria and Peter would be done dancing; he was getting tired.

Once the dancing ended, some elderly members told stories to the children. Other people began cleaning up. It was getting very late when Maria and Peter went over to the dying fire and sat down. She curled up and leaned her head on his shoulder. The Lost  
/Boys joined them play some games.

Maria tried her best to get along with the boys. She learned all their names and committed them to memory. If she was going to be friends with Peter, she wanted his closest friends to like her.

They played Duck, Duck, Goose for a while. Tootles, the littlest one who wore a skunk outfit, seemed to love the game. She asked Peter why he didn't speak. She was afraid he didn't like her.

"No! He likes you! He never talks. I found him alone in the same park I ran away to. He looked like he hadn't had a bath or eaten in weeks," he explained.

"Do you think he's an orphan?" Maria asked quietly.

"Probably."

Maria wanted to know more about the boys. "How did the twins end up here?"

"Oh, I went into their house. It was even nicer than Wendy's! They were playing with their little sister who was only six. I took them all here. Their sister didn't make it, though."

"What happened?"

"Your dad killed her." Peter looked down at the sand. "I couldn't save her in time."

"Well, what did she do to him?" Maria figured Hook wouldn't kill someone for no reason.

"Nothing! She was so sweet. She wouldn't even hurt a fly!" Peter swallowed hard. He hated that day. "He killed her just to try to get me sad enough so I couldn't fly."

"Oh." Maria frowned.

"Yeah." Peter looked up at her, hugging his knees.

"So, why did they stay?" she asked, confused.

"I don't know. I never asked them."

Maria slumped a little. She didn't understand why her dad would kill an innocent child. The sister sounded pretty harmless. "Well, what about Slightly? What's his story?"

"Well, Slightly actually found me. I was walking around London when pirates approached me. They got my knife and was about to kill me when Slightly fought them off. That's why he's second in command to me."

"Huh! I didn't know that." Maria paused for a moment. "What about Cubby?" He was the one that wore a bear costume.

"I found Cubby the next time I went down to the mainland. He was getting teased by some older kids. I watched from behind a tree, waiting to see what happened. After a while, the boys started throwing rocks at him. That's when I stepped in. I scared them  
/off with my knife. You should've seen how scared they were!"

"What we're the boys teasing him about?"

"His weight." Peter frowned at the memory.

"Oh. Well, how did Nibs get here?"

"The pirates got a hold of him, and I had to rescue him."

Maria sighed. She didn't know what to think. Peter noticed she wasn't smiling anymore, so he scooted closer to her and put his arm around her to make it come back. Her face turned red at that. She liked not hating him.

Tiger Lily became very jealous when she saw this. Peter was supposed to like her, not a pirate. She had to get him away from her. "Peter!" she called. "Come here. I want to show you something!"

Peter turned his head so he could see her. "Okay!" He jumped up so quickly that Maria lost her balance and ended up on her back. She looked at Peter walking towards Tiger Lily and felt the butterflies go away. Then she rolled into her stomach and listened  
/into their conversation.

"What do you want to show me?" Peter asked as he walked up to her.

"Oh," she began. "I actually didn't want to show anything. I want to give you something instead." She closed her eyes and puckered her lips. Peter didn't like where this was going. He felt very uncomfortable when she thimbledhim the first time.  
He leanedback, trying to avoid her lips touching his. He couldn't think of a way out of his situation.

He found Maria and desperately wanted her to stop the kiss. But she was clueless to what was going on. "You know," Peter said kindly, "I don't think it's a good idea to thimble. Maria would be jealous, especially since she's my girlfriend."

"She's your girlfriend? But what about me?"

"I like you a lot. But more in a friend kind of way."

"Oh." Her voice was quiet. "What do you see in her anyway? She's a pirate!"

"I don't know. She just doesn't seem mean like Hook."

"Do you like the way she murders innocent people?".

"What's your problem?"

"My problem is you liking her! You are a hero! Heroes only should like heroes! And yet you pick her over me!"

"Tiger Lily, I'm-!"

"I do not want to speak with you any longer." She stormed off without another word.

Peter looked over at Maria and found her propped up on her elbows and eaves dropping. "You heard that?" he asked, sort of embarrassed.

"I heard all of it," she responded. He looked down at his feet.

"I'm sorry," she said. She knew Peter was hurting from their conversation.

"It's okay." He walked over to her and sat down. "She'll get over it."

"So," Maria began to bring up the uncomfortable topic of being his girlfriend, "why did you say I was your girlfriend?"

"I needed a way out of kissing her!" he explained.

Maria slumped. She thought that he might be asking her to be his girlfriend. Then she caught herself thinking about their first kiss. His lips looked soft. Shaking her head to get rid of the thought, she scolded herself internally. She shouldn't

have been thinking about that.

Peter watched the boys play for a minute. The boys walked sleepily up to him. "You ready to go home?" he asked, equally tired.

"Yeah," Nibs replied.

"Okay. Let's go." Maria stood up and smiled at the boys. They all walked in silence to the boat. Peter ended up having to carry Tootles.

As they were approaching the ship, Maria noticed the lights were on in the mess, which meant the pirates were still up. "Oh, great," she sighed.

"What?" Peter said.

"They're partying. Which means I'm not going to be able to sleep."

"Why not?" he asked, confused.

"Have you ever tried to go to sleep with drunk pirates?"

"No."

"Well, trust me. It's not easy with all the yelling."

"Oh. Well, if you'd like, you could sleep at my place!" He smiled.

As much as she would have liked to actually fall asleep that night, she knew she was going to have to be the responsible one the ship. "No, it's okay. Thanks though."

"You're welcome!"

"I had fun tonight!" Maria said, changing the subject.

"Me too! We should do it again sometime!"

"Yeah! But next time, I'll try not to fall of a cliff." She laughed.

Peter chuckled. "Yeah. That's a good idea."

"So, I guess this is my stop." They were at the wood bridge by now and she stopped at it.

"All right! See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah! I'll just have to finish my chores first. But, I promise I'll find you when I'm done."

"Okay. See you then!" Maria turned around and started to walk up the bridge. Her heart was filled with joy. Never before had anyone made her feel so special!

"Wait!" Peter shouted suddenly.

Maria turned around and found him standing right in front her. "Um, I have something to ask you." He looked down nervously. "Will you be my... girlfriend?"

Maria's eyes widened. It actually happened. He asked her the question! She shook her head yes and smiled. Then, he quickly leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She struggled to keep herself from squealing. She couldn't believe he just did  
/that! She looked into his kind, brown eyes and blushed.

And in a flash, he flew out of sight, leaving Maria with only the memory of kiss- the sweet, sweet memory.

After a few moments, she sighed. "What did I just do?" she said out loud. "I wasn't supposed to even go out with him again, and now, I'm his girlfriend? What's wrong with me? Why can't I say no to him?" She moved inside and made her way into the game  
/room. It was a mess! Then she found Hook slumped over the pool table with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. "Dad?" She put a hand gently on his shoulder and shook him a little.

He suddenly stood up and spun around, swinging his hook. Maria ducked out of the way to avoid being hit. As she stood back up, she noticed that his eyes were glassy. "Dad, how much did you drink tonight?" she asked, not liking him being so drunk.

"Three bottles. Why?" His speech was slurred a little.

"Just curious." Her hand ached a little from the cut. She glanced down at it and saw it was a little pussy.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I cut my hand on the way to the party. It's fine though."

"Oh." He leaned lazily against the pool table and yawned.

Maria rubbed her arm, feeling uncomfortable. When she looked at him, all she saw was a murderer. Was being a pirate what she wanted to be? Did she want to kill innocent kids for no reason? "Why don't we get you to bed?" she said at last.

Hook nodded and stumbled all the way to his room. Maria helped him get his hook off and fluffed up his pillow. He quickly laid down and fell asleep.

Maria then went over to the kitchen to grab the first aid kit. She sat down at the small table and tended to her hand. The wound stung as she wiped it clean with an alcohol pad. Then she wrapped it in a bandage.

Smee thought he heard footsteps coming from upstairs, so he decided to see who was still up. As he walked into the kitchen, he saw Maria sitting at the table. "How was you're first date?" he asked sweetly.

Maria didn't hear him walk in and jumped when he spoke. "You scared me!" she laughed.

"I'm sorry." he apologized. Soon, she was telling him everything that had happened, along with all of her emotions. He nodded and smiled on the outside, but on the inside, he was thinking about how much their dating could change things. He loved the way  
/things were; he didn't want anything to be different.

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 **Hey guys!**

 **I am so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter posted!It needed more work than I thought it did. I hope you liked it. I tried to add some more detail to it.**

 **Please let me know if you're still with me by reviewing, favoriting, and following. :-)**

 **Thanks for reading,**

 **kacibubbles**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello!**  
 **I'm so sorry it took me so long to update this chapter. My life has gotten super busy lately, but I worked really hard to get this posted for you guys. Thank you for the follows! It really means a lot to have people like mystory! Thanks for all your support! Keep favoriting, following,and reviewing!**

 **Love,**

 **Kacibubbles**

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Chapter 8

Maria woke up early that next morning so she could get all of her chores finished. She climbed out of bed and quickly made it. Her goal was to make the ship spotless before noon. She didn't want anything to stop her from being with Peter.

Once she was dressed, she grabbed a broom and dust pan and swept the top deck. After that was done, she went into the kitchen and began washing the dishes in the basin. She also folded the laundry and sorted it out to the crew. Then, she cleaned the  
game room. That took two whole hours to clean up. There were several bottles shattered on the floor, the dry-erase board had scores from a game the pirates played, the darts were stuck all over the walls, and the pool table had a tear in it.

She swept up the all of the glass, cleaned off the dry erase board, put the darts on a shelf, and sewed the tear in the pool table. It was a very productive morning.

Maria was exhausted from cleaning, but the ship had never looked better. She could finally go hang out with Peter. But first, she wrote a note to her dad so he didn't worry about her. It said:

Dear Dad,

I finished all my chores before you got up, so I'm going out to the island. Don't worry, I'll have my sword with me. I'll be home by bedtime.

Love you!

Maria

And with that, Maria set the note on Hook's nightstand and headed into her room. There, she put on her belt and stuck her cutlass in it. Then she headed out for a day full of fun.

It was a warm, breezy day, and Maria couldn't wait to be with Peter. She walked on the soft sand and then into the forest. It was very peaceful. The birds chirped, leaves rustled in the wind, and fish flapped their fins in the water. She smelled the  
fresh flowers as she passed by and then began calling out Peter's name. She did this for what felt like a century before someone grabbed her from behind and lifted her off the ground.

Maria shrieked and elbowed the person hard in the gut, making him release her. She whirled around and pointed her sword at her newest victim. But when she saw a bent over green blob with red hair, she dropped it down to her side. "Peter?" she asked.  
"What were you doing?" She put her sword back into the scabbard and crossed her arms.

Peter stood up and acted like her punch didn't hurt him. "I was just playing around," he grunted.

"Well, you scared the crap out of me!"

"I'm sorry." He smiled at her and rubbed his stomach.

"And I'm sorry I hurt you. Are you okay?" She took a step toward him.

He stepped forward as well. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good." They were so close to each other. Maria smiled shyly and started to lean in for a little "I'm sorry" kiss. The Lost Boys ruined their moment though. They ran up to Maria and surrounded her. "Hey, guys," she said, a little mad that they  
interrupted Peter and her's kiss.

"Hey!" Nibs replied, excited. "Whatcha doing?"

"Oh, nothing." Maria blushed when she caught a glimpse of Peter smiling at her. "What are you guys up to?" she asked quickly to avoid having to tell them what she and Peter were actually doing.

"Playing games!" Cubby exclaimed. "Wanna join us?"

"Sure! What should we play?"

"How about capture the flag?" Peter suggested.

"Yeah!" the Lost Boys yelled in excitement. They drew a line in the dirt, setting the boundaries. Maria had Cubby, Tootles, and Nibs on her team, and Peter had the other boys.

Peter and his team went off into the distance and set up their base up in a tree. Peter decided that instead of putting the flag in there, which was his hat, he was going to keep it on his head. That way, if Maria found the base, she still wouldn't  
get the flag. "So what are we supposed to do now?" Slightly asked, sitting with his chin on his fist. It didn't seem like there was much to do.

"Well, now we have to find Maria's base and take her flag," Peter said while climbing out of the tree. He was excited to start the hunt.

"But where do we even start?" the twins asked together.

"I'll fly around and see if I see anything, and if I do, I will come and get you. Then we'll all go after them, capture the flag, and win!" He was already floating in the air with the thought of winning. When the boys saluted to him, Peter flew off  
into the clouds.

Meanwhile, Maria was helping the boys set up their base. They decided to be near the Indian encampment. The boys dug a ditch in the soft ground while Maria stood watch. She started imagining what great adventures she and Peter would go on. He was  
so fun and happy. No one on the ship ever wanted to do anything but kill him. She knew that Peter cut off Hook's hand, but she also knew that he was just being his playful self!

Soon enough, she saw Peter flying through the air. Quickly, she went over to the base and warned the boys.

"So what's the plan?" Cubby asked nervously.

"Well, someone needs to stay with our flag so no one grabs it." She untied her bandana that she was using as a headband and handed it over to Nibs. "I think Nibs should have that honor," Maria told.

"I'll do my best!" Nibs said. He saluted to her, and she saluted back.

"Now, we have to get that flag. I say that you two stay back, and I'll try first. That way, if anything happens, you can save me, okay?" Tootles nodded in understanding.

Once she was sure the boys knew the plan, Maria started out for Peter's flag. She had no idea where it was hidden or what it was. She was very on guard as she crossed into their territory. she hopped behind a tree and examined her surroundings. If  
she was going to win, She was going to have to be stealthy if she didn't want to be caught.

Peter followed her secretly the whole time. She had no idea that he was following her. After a bit, she walked into a large clearing and took a moment to enjoy the sunlight. That's when Peter grabbed her by the arms. "Gotcha!" he yelled. Maria tried  
to break free, but he had a death grip on her. He started leading her towards a tree and got out a long piece of rope. Then wrapped her and the tree with it.

"Is this really necessary?" Maria asked, annoyed.

"Yep! You're my prisoner now." He stood with his chest puffed up and smiled.

"I am no one's prisoner." She sighed in frustration. She really wanted to win, and now she was counting on the boys to save her. It was going to be a long game.

Peter looked around uncomfortably. It was too quiet. He eventually broke the silence. "Do you want an apple?" he asked, trying to be a gentleman. An apple appeared from behind him, making Maria smile.

"It's not poisoned, is it?" she joked.

"You know I would never poison you."

She took it from him and bit a plug out of it. Then she got thinking. "Peter, do you remember your parents?"

Peter thought for a moment. "Well, not really. All I remember about them is that they wanted me to grow up. I heard them talking about what they wanted me to become when I grew up, so I ran away to Kensington Gardens where no one would find me.

"I had to steal to get food, and had to battle police every once and a while. That's where I learned how to fight. It was fine until winter came. Not many people went to the park, so I didn't eat for a while. After a few days, Tink found me and taught  
me to fly. Then she took me to Neverland.

"One night, I came back to my window, thinking my parents would be missing me. But when I looked inside, I saw a baby in my crib." His posture had changed, and he looked as if he could cry. "They forgot about me. The window was locked and they couldn't  
hear me through the glass."

"I'm so sorry," she said while putting her hand on his arm. "That must have been really hard." Her heart broke for him. She knew the story, but hearing it from him made it much more upsetting.

"It's okay." He straightened up a bit. "That's when I decided to live in Neverland forever! And now I never have to listen to any adults ever again!"

Maria smiled slightly. Then her face turned serious. "I don't remember my mom," she said. Peter gulped hard. He didn't want to talk about her mom. Just the thought of her made him not able to fly. "I've always wondered how she died," Maria continued.  
"I heard that she was a great fencer. My dad tells me that she used to fight off Indians while holding me in her arms."

"What?" he asked in disbelief. She wasn't a fighter; she wouldn't even hurt a fly. Maria was being lied to. But no matter how much he wanted to tell her the truth, he wouldn't. It was not his place. Instead, he decided he would be there for her and  
just listen. "She sounds incredible," he said finally.

"Yeah. I wish I would've known her longer." Maria looked down at her apple and fiddled with it.

"I'm sorry," Peter said.

"It's okay. It's not your fault." Peter gulped again. It was his fault! He was the reason they were even having this conversation! He stared at the ground for a long time, ashamed.

Maria looked over at him and thought he was acting weird. "You okay?"

Peter snapped out of his sad state and let happy thoughts consume him. "Yeah. I'm fine," he said while taking her hand in his.

"So this is what it's like to be a Lost Boy, huh?" Maria said, changing the subject on purpose.

"Yep! It's great, isn't it?"

"Yeah! I don't have many people to play with on the ship."

"Well, today you're not a pirate. Today, you're one of us!"

A small voice emerged from behind a bush. "Maria?" Cubby said, his voice shaking.

Peter spun around and hid behind the tree Maria was tied to. "Over here!" Maria shouted.

Cubby emerged from the bush."What happened?" he whined.

"Peter captured me," she admitted. She knew that Peter was hiding behind the tree, but she wanted to see the boys run. When they went to untie her, Peter leaped out and scared them away. They ran out of there so fast that Peter couldn't even catch  
them. "My heroes," she said sarcastically. She leaned her head against the tree and found Peter hovering over her.

"So, what's your flag?" Peter asked.

"What's your's?" Maria retorted. She wouldn't just tell him what her flag was.

"My hat."

"Oh really?" An idea popped into her mind.

"Why?" Peter asked while floating down next to her.

A smile formed on her face, and she quickly slid out from under the ropes and yanked his hat off his head. "That's why!"

"HEY!" Peter yelled. He couldn't believe she just tricked him. "Give it back!"

She ran past him and waved the hat in the air. "Make me!" she teased. And then the chase was on. They raced through the woods and Maria headed straight for her base. Zooming through the air, Peter tried to grab her but couldn't catch her. As she reached  
out for her flag, Nibs, Cubby, and Tootles all jumped for joy. They had never won against Peter before.

Once Maria's hand was on the her team's flag, she yelled "Base!" The boys surrounded her, and she gave out high fives all around. And then, she crowed as loud as she could, trying to impress Peter. Peter chuckled. It wasn't the worst crow he had heard,  
but he was still way better at it.

"Good game!" he said while sticking out his hand. She shook it and smiled.

"Thanks! You were pretty good yourself!" she said.

"I know." He smiled proudly and put his hands on his hips. "Well, what should we do now?" Peter said when the rest of the boys walked up.

"A treasure hunt!" piped up Slightly.

"Yeah!" The boys yelled in unison.

"Okay! Lets go then!" Peter yelled, excited. He loved stealing from Hook.

They all started to walk when Maria said, "Guys, I can't be seen with you guys on the ship. I'll be in big trouble."

"Oh, c'mon! If you're with us, it will be a lot easier to steal the treasure because you know where it's at!" Peter told.

"But what if I get caught?" She looked at Peter and rocked back and forth on her feet. She really wanted to play, but she was worried that something bad would happen.

"Then we will run!" Peter took her by the hand and began walking with her.

Maria blushed under Peter's intense stare. "Alright." She smiled and let him lead her all the way to the ship. How was she supposed to say no to that?

When they got to the dock, the kids all crouched around in a circle and waited for their instructions from Peter. "Boys, I need you to distract Hook while me and Maria steal the treasure, okay?" he explained.

"We will do our best!" Nibs replied.

"Good. Now, Maria, come on. We have to get in a good position so that when Hook leaves his desk, we can sneak inside."

"Okay," she said as she stood up. Maria hid in front of the mast so she couldn't be seen by her father, and Peter zoomed over to the side of the ship. He figured that if Maria was seen, it wouldn't be such a big deal since she lived there. But  
if he was spotted there, he would be in major trouble.

Maria pressed herself against the mast. She couldn't believe that she was stealing from her dad. Her stomach was in a knot. She knew that if something went wrong with Peter's plan, she wouldn't be able to save him.

She saw Peter hanging on the railing. His eyes sparkled with happiness. Seeing him like that made her smile.

Hook was sitting at his desk up on the poop deck. He bit his hook as he studied the chart of Neverland. He was trying to come up with a plan to catch Peter Pan that would actually work. He didn't like to admit it, but his plans weren't usually that  
great.

As soon as Maria was in position, the boys started making a huge commotion on the beach. Hook sighed and quickly stood up, but then realized that his answer was right in front of him. A wicked grin plastered itself on his face. He quickly fumbled  
for his rifle, and headed down the stairs and past the mast. Maria slid over to the side of the mast so she wouldn't be seen, but she kept her eyes on her dad. When she saw his rifle, she had to fight the urge to run out and stop him.

Peter's eyes widened with horror. "NO!" he blurted out. He couldn't let him hurt his boys. They were his family. But he also couldn't get hurt because he had to take care of them. He didn't know what to do!

Hook turned his head quickly to the sound but kept his gun pointed at the boys. "Come out, Boy," Hook ordered. "Or I'll shoot them!" He readied his gun in preparation for a deadly battle.

Maria hoped Peter wouldn't fall into her dad's trap, but when she saw Peter float onto the railing, her heart sunk.

Peter grasped his knife's handle and puffed out his chest, trying to give off the impression that he was not scared. Hook had his gun still pointed at the wrestling boys, but then swiftly aimed it at Peter and pulled the trigger.

Peter soared up into the air to avoid being hit. He made it look effortless, but it was hard to get out of the way in time. "Is that the best you can do?" Peter laughed. He didn't want Hook know he was scared, so he put on a fake front of confidence.

Maria was biting at her fingernails, trying to conceal the squeal that was trying to come out. The Lost Boys stopping their wrestling when the loud sound of a gun rang out. Slightly stepped forward and readied his bow. He quickly drew out an arrow  
and loaded it steadily.

Hook kept firing at Peter until he ran out of bullets. Hook cursed under his breath as he reloaded his weapon. He desperately wanted rid of the boy that haunted his nightmares. He was so close killing him! He just needed to get his darn gun reloaded  
so he could finish him off.

Maria and Peter made eye contact, and he began to tell her to go get the treasure. But just as she began to move, a deafening boom rang out all through the island and ship. Maria sharply turned her head to find a cannon heading straight for Peter.  
"Peter, watch out!" she screamed.

Peter spun around and attempted to fly out of the way, but it was too late. The cannon split off into four sections and struck Peter in stomach, making him lose his grip on his knife. The net wrapped itself around Peter. Then he began falling head  
first to the ship. He crashed hard against the metal grate, and he blacked out from the impact.

Slightly immediately dropped his bow and arrow and ran up the bridge. "Peter!" he yelled as he slid on his knees over to him. Rolling him onto his back, he realized that he was knocked out. "Peter? Peter, wake up!"

No reply came from Peter. There was a little blood trickling down his forehead.

"Peter, please wake up!" He shook him frantically. A tiny bruise started to show itself on  
Peter's head.

The rest of the boys ran up behind him and crouched around the unconscious boy.

Peter let out a quiet whimper. The boys crowded together so they could see Peter better.

Hook strolled causally over to the boys, grabbed a fist full of Slightly's blonde, shaggy hair, and yanked towards him. Slightly yelped in pain and tried to get a hold of his hair. Hook placed his hook on Slightly's neck so he would stop squirming.  
"Get the others!" Hook ordered.

Maria cupped her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from squealing. She hated seeing her dad win like this. She wanted so badly to help the boys.

Peter's eyes fluttered open. "Ow," he mumbled while staring up at the sky. The pain was excruciating. Part of him wished he would've stayed unconscious for a little longer, but then he heard Hook clear his throat. He turned his head slowly to the  
sound and was surprised to see all of the boys captured. His heart began to race, and his breathing quickened. He began to struggle, but it did no use. The ropes were too constricting. "Let us go, Hook!" Peter commanded.

Hook only chuckled. "And why would I do that?" he asked mockingly.

Peter rested for a moment; he was getting tired.

"Well, who do you want to walk the plank first, Pan?" Hook continued.

Peter frowned in frustration. "You won't get away with this!"

"Oh, really?" Hook cackled sinisterly. "We'll see about that."

Maria couldn't believe her dad was so cruel. They were kids! They didn't need to die! "What should I do?" she muttered to herself.

Hook looked over his shoulder and threw Slightly to the ground. "You brought a girl here Ah, I thought you would've learned better than do that again. Let's not forget what almost happened to Wendy."

"There's no girl here," Peter said confidently. Maria's heart began to pound; she couldn't be seen around them. If Peter couldn't convince Hook that there was no girl on the ship, she was toast.

"Find the girl and bring her here! I wouldn't want her to miss this!" he said to the crew.

They got working right away. One of them was a young, teenage boy who had only been with the crew for two years. He was always looking for a way to impress Hook. His name was Holden. He had long, thick hair and eyes that looked like chocolate chips.  
Maria didn't like him that much because he always stole from her. But she occasionally stole from him as well, so they were even.

Holden began walking towards the mast and pulled out his cutlass. Maria's eyes widened with fear as he walked out of sight. Then she felt a hand grab her wrist and pin it in between her shoulder blades. She let a small whimper escape from her lips.

"Gotcha," he said intimidatingly. Her put his hand on her shoulder so she couldn't pull away.

"Holden, it's me, Maria. Let me go!" she said. He quickly spun her around and pinned her arms to her sides.

"Maria? What are you doing here? And why aren't you helping Hook?" He squeezed her tightly as if to squeeze the answer out of her.

"It's really complicated, but I have to help Peter. And you're going to have to help me

"What? No way!"

"I'll tell Hook about that Indian you're dating," she threatened.

"You wouldn't!" He didn't want Hook to know about that. He would be in big trouble.

"I will!"

Holden sighed in frustration. He knew she was going to win, so he complied. "What do you need me to do?"

Maria smiled and began saying what she needed from him.

Once , Holden had Maria thrown over his broad shoulder and ran to the group of pirates and Lost Boys. "Caught her, Captain!" he boasted.

Hook smiled happily until he saw his daughter being shoved down to the deck. Maria winced as the back of her head hit the hard wood. "Holden, you are so dead!" she yelled with feigned anger. She jumped up, pulled out her sword, and leapt for him,  
purposely cutting the net that held Peter while she passed him.

While Hook began to chase after Maria, Peter slid out of the net, grabbed his knife, freed the boys, and killed whoever was blocking him from getting to the beach. His head was pounding, but it never felt so good to be free. That was the closest he  
had been to losing since Jane was there. Once they got onto the beach, Peter, realizing that he had won, crowed as loud as he could.

Hook spun around to find him floating up in the air with his fists on his hips. Hook let out a low growl. He could not believe that Peter got away again!

As Peter bowed mockingly to Hook, Maria let a smile slip onto her face. Holden's brows creased in confusion. Why was she smiling at Peter. And why did she want to help him. Then, the answer hit him! She liked Peter. Part of him wanted to snitch on  
her right away, but the other part of him wanted to make sure she liked him, so he wouldn't tell Hook false information. He needed to find out what was going on. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Hook trudged back to his desk and pulled out his flask. He wanted so badly to be done with Peter Pan, and he thought he had won. But somehow he got away again! Taking a swig, he leaned back in his chair and relaxed his shoulders. Whiskey always made him  
feel better.

Maria watched Peter run into the forest with the boys and then she glanced at Holden. He stared at her with furrowed brows. She knew he was onto her. To avoid the conversation that was sure to come, she walked over to her dad and rubbed his shoulders  
lovingly. "Don't worry, Dad. You'll get him next time," she soothed.

Hook tilted his head to look at Maria. "How do you know that he just won't get away again? No matter how hard I try, he always gets free!" he asked before taking another sip of his beloved whiskey.

Maria pouted a little. She had just ruined her dad's chance of being truly happy! The situation she was in was terrible. She didn't want Peter hurt, but she also didn't want her dad so unhappy. "Why do you want to get rid of him so badly? I know he cut  
off your hand, but he may not be as bad as you think." She walked around him and leaned against the desk.

Hook looked beyond her to see some of the crew carrying off some of the limp bodies. "Oh, really? Just look at the deck. See all that blood? He's the reason for it. All those people are dead because of him." He started thinking of Emily, making him tear  
up. He wished she was still with them. "I don't want anyone else to suffer because of him." Maria looked down at her feet. She knew he was partially right. But she still didn't understand fully. If Hook stopped trying to kill him, there wouldn't be  
all those dead crew members!

Hook continued. "I don't want you getting hurt like them. I want to make Neverland a safe place for you."

Maria looked up at those words. "Peter won't hurt me," she stated. "He didn't hurt me when I was dressed like Wendy. Why would he hurt me now?"

"You really don't think so? Maria, you know how he is! He only cares about himself!"

"That's not true!" Anger was festering up inside of her. She balled up her fists, and her whole body tensed up. He cared about her! But she couldn't say that to him. "He cares about the Lost Boys!"

"Maria, why are you defending him? He's the enemy!" He had no idea what had gotten into her.

She began to speak but decided it was best to walk away. She would never change his mind. She strolled down the stairs and past Holden, who had his arms crossed in disappointment. Maria didn't care what he thought of her as long he kept his big mouth  
shut.

As she put her hand on the doorknob of the door that led inside, it flew open and out came Smee, running around like an idiot. "What happened? What'd I miss?"

Holden spoke up before Maria got the chance to. "Hook captured Peter, but he escaped," he explained. He then shot her a look as if to threaten her. She cowered and continued inside.

Smee tilted his head in confusion. "How did he escape?" he asked.

"Maria let him go."

"Oh!" He played dumb on the outside to help Maria, but on the inside, he was very proud of her. Although he didn't fully trust Peter, he knew he made her happy. And he really didn't want him to die; he just did whatever Hook asked of him to avoid walking  
the plank.

"I know!" Holden sighed. "I'm going to find out what the crap has gotten into her! And then, I'm telling Hook, so he knows." Before Smee could say anything else, Holden brushed past him and walked through the open door and into the kitchen.

Maria was quietly making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She didn't know what to do anymore. She felt like such a traitor! A large, irremovable knot lodged itself in her stomach. She wished that the two people she cared for most got along. It would  
make her life so much easier.

Holden watched for her for a moment before walking over to her and sitting on the counter. "So let's talk about you liking Peter, shall we?" he said while sticking his finger in the peanut butter jar.

Maria froze in fear. She didn't want him knowing about Peter and her liking each other. "What are you talking about?" she questioned. "I don't like Peter. I was just doing him a favor!"

"Yeah, right! I saw the way you looked at him. I heard you defend Peter to Hook. C'mon, admit it!" He then kicked his finger clean of the peanut butter.

"Holden, I don't like Peter, okay? The only reason I helped him was because he helped me when I sprained my ankle."

Holden knew she wasn't telling him the truth. She wouldn't look up from her food. He instantly thought of the one thing that would make her tell the truth- a Wet Willy. He grabbed her sides and yanked her down to the floor. She yelped as he got on top  
of her. "Maria, I didn't want to have to do this, but you left me no choice. Tell me the truth, or I'll Wet Willy you!" He stuck his finger in his mouth and pulled it out. It was all wet with his spit.

"Holden, stop!" She hated Wet Willies! They were so gross! She tried to get away, but he pinned her down pretty good.

"Tell me the truth, and then I'll stop." He lowered his finger down to her ear.

"Alright! Fine! I like Peter!" She gripped Holden's wet finger and pushed it out of her face. "There. Are you happy now?"

"Very!" Holden smiled as he wiped his finger off. Maria quickly shoved him off of her and sat up. "Just wait until Hook finds out. You're going be in so much trouble!"

Maria knew in order to win, she was going to have to fight fire with fire. "But he's not going to find out because you're not going to tell him!" she told.

"And why shouldn't I?" He began to get up and walk over to the closed door. "Shouldn't Hook know when there's a traitor on the ship?"

Maria sighed. She knew he was winning. "Look, you're the only other one here that knows what it's like having to hide something from my dad. You know it's not easy. It's killing me not telling him. I had my first kiss, and I couldn't tell him!"

"You had your first kiss?" Holden yelled. He was in shock that Peter actually liked her too! "I thought that you were just crushing on him."

"Well, I'll have you know that he asked me to be his girlfriend." She smiled at the memory. He was so cute about the way he did it.

"You really like him, don't you?"

"Yeah." She blushed a little.

"Why?"

"I don't know... I never knew how great it was not being a pirate. My whole life I thought that the pirate's life was for me. But now I'm not sure. Today I just played with them, and it was great. I wasn't a pirate. I was me!

"Oh, man! You are so dead!" he chuckled. He couldn't wait to tell on her. She deserved it. Sure, he was dating an Indian. But that wasn't near as bad as dating Hook's sworn rival.

Maria's smile dropped and was replaced with a frown. She couldn't believe how cruel Holden was being. "Why are you so mean?" she asked quietly.

"Huh?" Holden was taken aback from her question.

"What happened to you that made you so mean?"

Holden glared at her and knelt down intimidatingly. His stare was so intense she felt like he he was staring right into her soul. Maria scooted back a little, fearful that her life was in danger. He gripped her shoulder tightly. "You have no business  
asking about my life story."

Maria gulped. Her breath was quick, and her brow became damp with sweat. He seemed more like an animal than human at that moment. "Actually, I do. You're my crew mate, and I care about you." Her voice shook.

He backed off her a little. No one had ever really said that to him before. "Why do you care about me? I just threatened to tell your dad that you are dating Peter!"

"Well, like I said, you're my crew mate." She moved her legs to sit Indian style and patted the ground, signaling for Holden to do the same.

He combed his dirty fingers through his bleach blonde hair. He didn't know was he was about to divulge his backstory to a twelve-year old, but there he was. He plopped down cautiously and sighed. "Alright. I don't want everyone knowing about this, so  
can you hook square not to tell anyone?" He stuck out his bent index finger. A hook square was serious to everyone on the ship. No one broke a hook square. If they did, they would walk the plank. She wrapped her finger around his and smiled.

Maria watched Holden fidget nervously for about a minute before she decided to prompt him nicely. "Why don't you start by telling me where you were born?"

Holden rubbed his arm insecurely. "Okay. I was born in London. I don't remember what hospital, though." Maria smiled. At least he was talking. "But that doesn't really matter. When I was a toddler, my parents dropped me off at a door step of an home for  
boys. I never saw them again. I never knew why they left me."

Maria never expected that. She just thought that maybe he was bullied and that was the reason he was so rough around the edges.

"The lady that owned the home tried to provide for everyone there, but there was at least twenty of us, and she was pretty old and she couldn't. So, when I turned eighteen, I had to leave and take care of myself. I stole money to buy food, and some of  
my friends let me spend a couple nights at their houses. But most nights I would still have to sleep outside. That's when I ran into the Jolly Rodger. It was cold so I snuck aboard. And you know what happened the next day." He slumped his shoulders  
and continued to rub his arm.

Maria could tell he was still hurt from being abandoned. Her heart ached for him. She had no idea that he had been through all of that. She got up onto her knees and wrapped her arms around him comfortingly. "I'm so sorry. That must be really hard to  
deal with," she said.

Holden smirked. That was less painful than he thought it would be. He hugged her back. It felt good to get that off his chest. Maria sat back down and smiled at him. "Thanks for listening to me."

"You're welcome!" She glanced up at her PB & J sandwich and pulled it down on the floor in front of her. She went back to thinking about how he was going to tell on her. She turned solemn instantly and took a plug out of her food.

Holden wondered why she looked so sad for a second, but then he remembered that she still thought he was still going to tell Hook. "You know, you're still a traitor," he said before pausing. Maria looked up with tears in her eyes. She didn't want to get  
in trouble with Hook. She loved her dad so much. She never wanted to disappoint him."But I'm not going to tell on you."

Maria's eyes widened with joy when he said that. "Really?"

"Yep! You're off the hook this time."

"Oh, thank you!" She thought about giving him another hug, but before she got the chance to execute, Holden pulled her in to a tight embrace.

"No problem. Now, ya better go check on Peter. He hit his head pretty hard." He let her go and stood up.

Maria tucked her hair behind her ears and glanced at Holden. "Yeah. I can't believe my dad almost got him. If it wasn't for you, he would likely be dead."

"You're welcome!" he joked.

Maria got up as well and finished her sandwich. Then, she went back outside and headed back outside.

She smiled. "Thanks!" she yelled. Being friends with him was way better than being rivals with him. He was never that bad, but sometimes he was such a snitch. She sprinted all the way down the bridge. Something brown was in the sand and she decided to  
investigate it. She crawled over to it and discovered it was Slightly's bow. She picked it up cautiously and put it around her body. She had always wanted to try archery, but bows weren't really used much by pirates.

She then grabbed the loose arrow and began walking to the forest. Once she was deep in the forest, she whistled, unconsciously, Peter's three note tune. She felt so happy that she thought she might even able to fly. She even tested it out. She started  
out running and jumped as high as she could. But she forgot one important part of flying-the pixie dust. She crashed down onto the fresh earth. While giggling, she pushed her self back up and continued walking towards Hangman's Tree.

After about thirty minutes, a drop of water fell from the sky and onto Maria's head. She looked up and noticed that instead of a blue sky, the sky was dark, gray, and dreary. "No," she whispered to herself. She didn't want to get rained on. And with that,  
it started down pouring. She searched around frantically for a good cover but didn't succeed in finding one. She couldn't hide under a tree because she could get electrocuted! She sprinted around, hoping for a cave somewhere. Nothing. At that point  
she had already gotten completely drenched. So she thought it would be best to just get to Peter's hideout. She arrived there in no time at all.

Maria pounded on the door. Slightly, ice bag in hand, opened the door and chuckled at Maria.

She stepped quickly inside and wrung out her hair. "What happened?" he asked, still chuckling.

Maria stood straight up and put one hand on her hip. "I got caught in the rain on my way here," she explained. The rest of the boys snickered as she walked in and left a puddle on the floor. "Oh, by the way, here's your bow. You left it on the beach."  
She took it off of her and handed it over.

Slightly hugged it close to him, excited to have it back. "Thank you!" he exclaimed.

Peter heard her in his room and perked up a bit. He got up out of his hammock and threw back the curtain. Maria ran over to him, almost knocking him over. She threw her arms around his neck. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned. She ran her fingers through  
his soft hair and rested her chin on his shoulder.

Peter embraced her even though she was all wet. "I've been better," he admitted.

"How's your head?" She backed away and lifted his hair out of the way. There was a large purple bump on the above his right eyebrow and a cut in the center of it. She gasped in shock. She couldn't believe that her dad did this to him! She reached up to  
touch it but Peter pulled away quickly. He couldn't let her touch it. It was already throbbing without being touched.

Maria let his hair down and frowned. She hated seeing him hurt like that. He moved over to the bed and dropped down. Maria crossed her arms and shivered. Her hair still was dripping.

Peter tilted his head as he watched her pull the clothes away from her body. "Would you like to change? I have some clothes that Margaret gave me for her kids," he said.

"Yes!" Maria replied happily.

Peter went over to the chest at the end of the bed and searched through it. When he held up the pajamas by the shoulders, Maria suddenly would rather have kept on her wet clothes. The nightgown was the ugliest thing she had ever seen. It was very similar  
to Wendy's blue nightgown except for the fact that it was pink and had long sleeves. She wouldn't have been caught dead wearing it. "Please tell me there's something else in there that I can wear."

"Take it or leave it!" Peter said playfully. He began swinging it back and forth in front of her face, taunting her.

"Fine!" she said through her teeth. She stormed into his room so she could change. Honestly, Maria didn't even know how to put it on. But she managed to slip it over her head and slid her arms through their proper holes.

When it was all of the way on, Maria stepped out into the room where the boys were. They paused what they were doing and stared at her in awe. It kind of made her feel awkward. She couldn't tell if they were judging her or if they thought she looked nice.

Peter's mouth was gaping wide open like a fish. He couldn't talk. She took his breath away. "Well?" she asked.

Peter tried to tell her how pretty she looked but found himself stuttering like an idiot. "You, uh, well, you look, uh, you look alright!" he smiled nervously.

"Thanks." She looked at the rest of the boys to see what they would say. All they did was give her a thumbs up. "Has it stopped raining?" she asked Peter.

"No." He focused on the rain subject instead of her. "I don't think it will stop anytime soon!"

"Well, it has to! I told my dad is be home by bedtime."

"You have a bedtime?" Nibs asked, kind of disgusted. He didn't like rules.

"Well, its more like a curfew. I don't have to go to bed exactly at that moment, but I have to be home."

"Oh," he said. Part of him wondered what it was like to have rules. He didn't know how he would feel about having to be inside at a certain time. Peter didn't have many rules that they had to follow. All he made them do was pick after themselves occasionally.

After a few minutes, stomachs could be heard growling. "I'm hungry!" Cubby announced. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast.

"Me too!" Slightly agreed.

"We are too," said the twins.

"I could eat," Nibs added.

Tootles nodded along.

"Okay! Let's eat then!" Peter decided. He began searching for their most recent kill. It was a chicken and already cooked. Peter divided it up into eight portions. He then found a pouch of berries to go with the chicken. There were no plates, forks, or  
knifes to eat with; they only had their hands. They all stuck out their palms and Peter served them each a piece.

They sat in a circle and ate off of the floor. Maria had never had the berries before. They were purple and delicious! She never minded eating fruit, but she couldn't get enough of it. "These are so good!" she said. Once she finished all of them, she  
went to eating her chicken. It was very tender.

The Lost Boys were eating their chicken silently. They really didn't have much to talk about. Peter felt awful for not getting them their treasure. He knew that they even though they weren't acting upset that they were a little bummed.

After a few minutes, Maria began feeling a little tired. She didn't think anything of it, but it quickly overtook her. She was trying her best to stay awake, but it was barely helping. The other boys hadn't eaten their berries yet and were wondering why  
she was acting odd. "I probably should be going home now," she said at last. After trying to standing up, she looked at Peter for some help. She couldn't do it.

"Are you okay?" Peter asked,, worried.

"I don't know. I'm really tired for some reason."

"Wanna lay down?"

She just shook her head yes and let Peter help her up. He didn't know what was wrong with her. When she took a step towards the bed, her legs buckled, and he had to catch her.

The boys all watched, scared. They didn't know what caused her to feel that way. Peter ended up carrying her and setting her down on the bed. Before he even got her head on the pillow, her eyes were already closed.

Peter gulped. She was fine just a few minutes ago! But now she looked like she was under a sleeping spell. His hands trembled slightly. He watched her breath for a little while until Cubby spoke. "Peter, is she okay?"

He turned around and hesitated for a moment. What was he supposed to say? He didn't want to lie to them. She wasn't okay. But he also didn't want to make them worry. "Uh, yeah," he said. "Let's finish eating." Peter sat back down, but he never took his  
eyes off of the sleeping Maria. She was so pretty even when she was drooling.

He had finished his chicken and then came the dreaded part, the berries. He hated fruit. But he forced himself to eat at least some of them to be a good role model for the boys. After the boys had eaten their fruit, they started feeling like Maria did-tired.  
They didn't know why they all felt like that, but they were all too tired to think about it.

One by one, they drifted off to sleep on the floor. It wasn't a good sleep. It was more like a forced sleep they were under.

They all slept in a pile until Peter woke up from a loud tapping noise on the door. He looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was three a.m. He wondered who would be out this late. The tapping noise grew into a loud knock. "I'm coming!" he shouted.  
Whoever woke him up was not going to be greeted with a friendly face. He dragged his feet on the floor as he trudged toward the door.

He was rubbing his eyes when he reached the door. The person behind it was pounding on it by then. "I said I'm coming!" Peter turned the knob and opened it a crack. But when he saw two piercing blue eyes full of hate, he slammed it as fast as he could.  
His heart began to beat out of his chest.

It was Hook.

* * *

 **Uh oh! Someone's in trouble.**

 ****

 **I hope you likedthis chapter. I'll try to get the next one up soon. What do you think will happen? I'dlove toknowyour opinions! Please keep favoriting, following, and reviewing!**

 ****

 **Love,**

 **Kacibubbles**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Peter pressed his body against the door to make sure Hook didn't come through. Of course! Hook is here for Maria! Peter thought. He glanced over at the bed and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to come up with a plan.

Hook tried to reopen the door but found it stuck. "Peter! Open up right this second!" he demanded. He crossed his arms impatiently and sighed.

"Give me a minute!" Peter zoomed over to the bed and shook the beautiful, sleeping Maria. No response.

"I said, OPEN UP!"

"You know, it's not nice to visit someone with out letting them know in advance." Peter was attempting to buy himself some time to think. If Maria wasn't waking up, the boys might. So he crouched down and shook each of them frantically. None off them  
/would respond. He was alone on this one.

"When have you ever cared about manners?!" Hook scoffed.

"Right now!"

"Says the boy who cut off my hand!" Hook raised his hook and shook it angrily for emphasis but realized that it did no good. Peter couldn't see what he was doing.

Peter sighed. He had a point on that one.

Hook stood around outside for a moment and chuckled quietly to himself. He knew he won that fight. All he had to do after that was win the real fight. "Peter, if you do not open this door in ten seconds, I will kick it down!"

"Why do you want in here so badly?" Peter asked, purposely acting stupid.

"I know you have my daughter! And I want her back!"

Peter cringed when Hook confirmed the reason he was there. Peter stood up and turned to face Maria. She was sleeping hard. He couldn't figure out why she wouldn't wake up. When Hook began counting, he had to decide what to do. "Ten!"

Peter spotted a rope laying on the ground and slowly reached for it. "Nine!"

He quickly picked it up and turned back to Maria. "Eight!"

It was at that moment that Peter knew what he had to do. He was running the risk of Maria hating him for the rest of her life, but he had no other good ideas. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to a post that made the house stay intact.  
/"Seven!"

Peter set her down gently and brought her hands behind the post. He then began tying them together tightly. "Six!"

He hated tying her up; she was his girlfriend! He wanted just to be able to hand her off to her dad and tell him that she fell asleep here, but Hook could become suspicious! "Five!"

Peter struggled to tie the knot; he never could find the hole to pull the rope through. "Four!"

After he found the hole, he finished the knot, stood up, and looked at Maria. "Three!" Hook's yelling was becoming very aggressive.

Peter continued to stare. He was super nervous that Maria would wake up and think that he betrayed her. But what else could he do? "Two!"

He gulped, flew over to the door, turned the knob, and opened it just as Hook said, "One!"

Hook, who was waiting impatiently for Peter to show himself, had his hook ready to stab the obnoxious boy. He swung at Peter, but he moved out of the way. Seeing that Peter was dumb enough to not have his dagger ready, Hook swiftly caught Peter by the  
/throat and pushed him against the wall, making him squeal in fear. "Where is she?" Hook demanded through his gritted teeth.

Peter grabbed Hook's wrist and tried to pry his hand off of his neck, but he wouldn't budge. "Where is who?" Peter taunted. He smirked and reached for his knife.

Hook smacked his hand away with his hook, yanked the knife out of his scabbard, and tossed it all the way to the other side of the narrow hallway. "You know who!"

"Sorry, that name doesn't ring a bell." Peter chuckled, but his air was quickly cut off by Hook. He was airborne-not in a good way. Hook had lifted him into the air, trying to hang him. Peter kicked around a little and squeezed his enemy's wrist, desperate  
/to get free.

"Where is my daughter?" Hook pressed his hook against Peter's stomach. Peter's eyes shot wide open. He was terrified, and Hook knew it.

Peter panicked. He couldn't breathe, and he couldn't get away! He wasn't sure what to do. He needed to stall for as long as he possibly could, but he was going to need air.

"Well?" Hook grumbled. He was getting very impatient. He started to dig the tip of his hook into Peter's shirt. "Answer me, and I won't kill you right this second."

Peter felt lightheaded and knew he had to divulge Maria's location. He weakly extended his arm out to the left and lifted his finger.

Hook followed Peter's movement and tightened his lips when he saw his daughter tied to a pole. He released Peter and began walking to her. Peter fell to the ground and coughed from the lack of air. Then he crawled over to his knife and inspected it. Luckily,  
/it seemed undamaged. He sighed in relief and then remembered to focus on the fact that Hook was in his hideout.

While Hook was stomping over to Maria, mumbling curse words under his breath, he accidentally squished one of Peter's uneaten berries that was still on the floor. He bent down, picked up one of the rounder berries, and inspected it thoroughly. "Did my  
/daughter eat these?" he asked while staring at the purple thing.

"Yes," Peter answered while struggling onto his feet.

"You fed her bloody barbiturate berries?!"

Peter didn't know what those were, but he didn't want to look stupid in front of Hook. So he lied. "Yes!" Then he came up with the most brilliant lie. "I wanted a rematch, so when she came in because of the rain, I tricked her into eating those berries.  
/She was out like a light! Then I tied her up and waited for you. But I didn't think it would take so long for you to get here." He beamed at his cleverness. He leaned against the wall and smiled proudly

Hook scowled. Bearing his teeth, he growled, "Fine, you want to fight? Then let's fight!" He relaxed his shoulders and quickly swung at Peter with his hook. Peter caught it in mid-strike and felt his arm strain under the pressure.

Hook then shoved him backwards and laughed as Peter struggled to maintain his balance. Seeing a great opportunity to badly wound his opponent, Hook waved his cutlass at Peter's shins. The boy leaped backwards though, avoiding the blow. He landed flat  
/on his back.

Peter didn't even have a chance to get up because Hook towered over him with a sword hovering about six inches over his chest. "Release my daughter," Hook threatened, "or I'll run you through!"

"You don't scare me," Peter said confidently. "And why would I let her go when I haven't won yet?"

Hook snarled at Peter and thrust his sword at him, but Peter rolled to his side quick enough to not get stabbed.

Peter then stood up. He had to get the advantage. He zoomed through the air around Hook and halted when he was face to face with him.

Peter swung at Hook, but Hook blocked it easily. They exchanged blows for a few minutes while traveling in circles around the room. At one point, Hook nearly tripped over the rug in the center and got sliced on the chest by the insolent boy.

Peter watched as Hook took a momenteq to recover. He saw his chance and quickly flipped the cutlass out of Hook's hand and into the air. Hook had a pained expression on his face when he saw Peter fly up into the air and point his knife at his throat.  
/"Ha!" Peter said

Hook stiffened up a little, not scared, but amused. "You're going to kill me?" he began. "You do realize that if you do, you'll be the sole reason Maria's an orphan, right?"

Peter lowered his knife a little. He had never really considered that before. He couldn't kill Hook no matter how much he wanted to. He couldn't do that to Maria.

Hook smirked, knowing he got inside Peter's head. "And Emily would be so disappointed in you right now," he continued. "You promised her that you would take care of her, but instead, you use her as bait for me."

Peter looked down at his feet. She would be disappointed in him, and he knew it. Before Peter even realized it, Hook kicked him in the back of the leg, making him crash onto the floor. Hook took his sword back and pointed it right where Peter's heart  
/was. Peter kicked it out of the way and flipped himself back onto his feet. He parried Hook's blow and backed up. After a few seconds, his leg brushed against Maria's foot, making him stop abruptly. She shifted a little, and Peter gulped nervously.  
/He had to free her before she woke up, but how was he going to with Hook advancing on him?

Not knowing what to do, Peter shifted to his right and continued to back up until he hit the wall. Hook charged at Peter. He dove out of the way into the air while attempting to slice the ropes that held Maria, but he ended up slicing something way worse.

Maria whimpered quietly in her sleep. Even though she was practically unconscious, she could still feel the pain coming from her arm. She didn't know why it was stinging, but she still wasn't able to wake up no matter how hard she tried.

Peter twisted his head to see what happened but flew right into a wall. He collapsed to the floor in pain and curled up into a ball, hands grasping his aching skull. Hearing Maria's whimper and Hook's gasp, he knew he was in trouble. He flipped himself  
/over onto his back and held out his dagger. That's when he realized what he had done. There was fresh blood on the tip of it-not Hook's, but Maria's.

Peter then saw blood on Maria's left forearm and panicked. He did that to her. She was bleeding because of him. He threw his knife down, not wanting to be the reason she was hurt. He gulped and looked up at Hook. He knew he was in trouble. Hook's eyes  
/were filled with anger and hate.

He grabbed Peter's collar and pulled him up to his feet. Peter was scared for his life. "You hurt my daughter, I hurt you." Hook said with an evil smile.

"It was an accident," Peter whispered.

"I don't care! You still cut my little girl!" Hook swung his hook into Peter's nose. Pain flooded through it, and he fell backwards onto the floor again. While Peter cradled his aching, bleeding nose, Hook came up and put the end of his blade against  
/Peter's throat. He pushed down a little making a tiny spec of blood come out. Peter but his lip and moaned loudly from the pain.

"Say a prayer, Peter Pan. You're going to need it where you're going," Hook spat in Peter's face and pressed harder.

Peter reached for his knife but was too far away from it. He couldn't do anything! Hook was finally going to get his revenge. "Ah," Peter cried quietly. "Stop, please!"

No response. Hook remained heartless and continued pressing his sword deeper into Peter's bleeding neck. A burning sensation filled his throat to the point where it felt cold. "OW!" And with that, Peter dug his teeth into each other and prepared

himself for death. He glanced over at Maria, who was just starting to wake up. He grimaced and then looked up at Hook. He had gone full pirate, and nothing was going to make him stop hurting him.

Maria heard Peter's cries, and she slowly opened her eyes, still exhausted. What she saw made her heart stop. Hook was piercing Peter's flesh, and Peter wasn't doing anything to stop it. She tried to get up but found herself unable to. "Huh?" she mumbled.  
/She looked down her arm to find that her hands were bound together and that her arm was spilling out blood.

Hook lifted his sword off Peter's neck and spun around quickly to lay his eyes on his daughter. Peter sat up, nose and neck bleeding, to get a glimpse of Maria before collapsing back down.

Maria slumped a little, trying to figure up a way that Peter was not the reason for all of this. Very quickly, she realized that was no point in trying to think of a reason because he did it. But she wouldn't just accept that! She couldn't! "What's going  
/on? Why am I tied up? And why is my arm bleeding?" she asked firmly.

Peter gulped, not wanting her to hear his lie to Hook

"I'll tell you what happened." Hook started. "Peter tricked you into eating barbiturate berries. And then when I found you, you were tied up. And he wouldn't let you go until we fought. And when we were fighting, he cut your arm on purpose!"

Peter shot up. "What?" he argued.

Maria didn't speak. She couldn't seem to get anything to come out. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out and torn to pieces. Her eyes began to water as she gazed at Peter. She couldn't believe Peter would do that to her! He was so sweet to her and  
/even saved her! He wouldn't have hurt her on purpose, would he?

She quickly looked down at her knees, purposely avoiding eye contact. "Dad, untie me, please," she said quietly

"Sure," he replied softly. He then traveled over to the post and sawed the ropes until they fell off of her wrists.

She quickly stood up once her hands were free and held her wounded arm close to her body. It was burning and stinging, and it was all because of Peter. She accidentally caught a glimpse of him all bloodied up. Before, she would have cared, but she didn't  
/that time.

Instead, she just turned her head and walked outside, trying to keep her composer.

Peter stood up and couldn't decide whether to go after her or not. If he didn't, she would hate him forever, and he wouldn't have even tried to change her mind. If he did, she might forgive him, but Hook would become suspicious. But he had to try! He  
/would be stupid not to! He attempted to fly after her but stumbled back down. He couldn't think of anything happy enough to lift him up. He was grounded. Frustrated, Peter stormed outside and found Maria slowly walking into the growth. "Maria," Peter  
/said just loud enough for her to hear him.

No answer.

Peter's heart sunk low. He couldn't bear the fact that she was ignoring him. He sprinted over to her, grabbed her arm, and spun her so she faced him. "Maria, let me explain," he said.

For a response, Maria slapped him hard on the cheek. Peter yelled in pain and rubbed his stinging cheek. "How could you?" she asked pitifully. Her voice cracked, and she could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sor-!"

"I trusted you! I thought you were actually nice! But you're not! Your just a selfish jerk who doesn't know when to stop playing!"

Peter pouted. "This is all just a big misunderstanding. You see-"

Maria rolled her eyes and began to walk away. She couldn't even look at him. He was such a traitor. "Tell it to someone who cares," she interrupted. "I'm never talking to you again. And next time your in trouble, don't count on me to save you!"

Peter watched her walk into the distance and will away her tears. He felt like such a jerk! But it wasn't even his fault! He had to make everything right. "Maria, wait!" he yelled while running after her. "You gotta hear me out!"

Maria heard Peter calling her name which made her stiffen with fear. She searched for somewhere to hide, somewhere to avoid seeing his beautiful, brown eyes. She looked left and right, but there was nowhere! She heard the voice becoming louder and decided  
/it was best just to try to get to the ship before he did. Someone would stop him there.

Peer saw a flash of pink out of the corner of his eye and knew he had found Maria. "Hey! Wait!" Maria knew he had caught her. He sped up his running. Eventually, he was right on top of her. He threw his arms around Maria and held her close to him. She  
/began squirming, but he had a death grip on her. "Maria, please stop!" he begged. He was exhausted physically and emotionally, and he didn't know how much longer he would be able to hold her.

"Get away from me!" she demanded.

"No! Not until you listen to me!" He spun her quickly around to face him again.

Her eyes were scared and heartbroken. "Let me go."

Peter hated himself for doing this to her. "Maria, I'm-"

"Hey!" Hook boomed from not too far away. "Let her go!"

Peter turned his head to see Hook coming toward them with his sword in hand. Peter quickly released Maria and watched her plummet to the ground. She quickly looked up her father to see him hovering over Peter. "Go," he said. And with that, Maria got back  
/on her feet and began running again, even faster than before.

Peter glanced at Maria and then at Hook. Hook had two weapons, whereas he was weaponless and doomed. He was spontaneously shoved against a tree, arms pinned above his head. He shrieked with fear.

Hook placed his hook against Peter's already punctured throat, trying to intimidate him. "Listen, Boy. If I see you touch my daughter ever again," he drug his hook across Peter's neck and made a ripping sound. "Do you understand?" he asked firmly, almost  
/like how a father would scold his child, except much harsher.

Peter couldn't speak; he was so paralyzed with fear. Hook hadn't ever threatened him like that before, not with that much intensity.

Hook was frustrated that Peter was making something so simple so complicated. All he had to do was say his answer! So to wake him out of his little daydream, Hook smashed his hook into Peter's temple. He enjoyed hearing his pained cry.

Peter slid down the the coarse bark until he landed on the soft, muddy ground. Hook kept his hands in his grasp, not allowing him to cradle his badly hurt head, furthering his enjoyment. "I asked you a question," he growled. His hook hung near Peter's  
/pointed ear and shimmered in the moonlight.

In between heavy breaths, Peter choked out an answer. "Yes."

Hook's lips formed a smile and he released Peter's wrists. They dropped down lifelessly to his sides. He had no energy left. The sparkle in his eye was gone. "Very good. Now if you excuse me, I need to go find my daughter." And without another word, Hook  
/stomped away, pounding the earth under his boots with every step.

Peter studied Hook as he left him. It seemed like he had grown a foot, his glare seemed way more terrifying, and his hatred for Peter had clearly doubled. He had gotten stronger than Peter. He knew how to get under his skin now.

Thinking made his head pound, so he quit for the moment. Instead, he peered up at the stars and then closed his eyes, ready to go to sleep and dream this all away.

Meanwhile, Maria was sprinting through the woods, not knowing if she was being followed or not. She was almost to the beach, which meant she was almost home. She wanted nothing more than to bury her face into her pillow and hide from everyone. She felt  
/as if she didn't even have a happy thought in her. Her boyfriend had just betrayed her, and her dad wouldn't be able to understand what she was going through because she couldn't tell him.

As she stepped onto the packed sand, she slowed her breathing and her pace. Her legs felt like noodles and her arm was stinging.

Two figures in the distance caught her eye and she turned her head to see who it was. Although there wasn't much light to see, she could see the two were holding hands.

Holden and his girlfriend.

She wondered what they were doing up, but it didn't bother her for long. Tears streamed down her face, and she collapsed down onto the ground. Her hands trembled, her body shook with every sob.

Holden smiled as Dancing Moon, his girlfriend, rested her head on his shoulder. Her straight, black hair draped over her shoulders and down to her waist. It was luscious and full. Her big almond eyes closed as she walked along the shore with him. And  
/behind those closed lids were the most deep brown irises anyone had ever seen-they looked like chocolate chips.

Her full lips were as pink as the sunset in Neverland, her neck was slender and long, and one arm had an elegant tattoo in the shape of a flower. She was wearing a snug fitting, tan dress that went down to her knees and had a sweetheart neckline. Graceful  
/legs came out from under the dress, and when she walked, it almost looked like she was floating. She was the most beautiful girl in Neverland, and she was all Holden's.

He loved Dancing Moon; she made him truly happy. She was not only pretty, but she was kind, smart, and brave as well. She was the only reason he considered staying on he island. But he was not content there. "You know," he began, "when I leave Neverland  
/one day, I'm taking you with me, we'll get a nice flat, I'll get a job, and we can have a family."

Dancing Moon giggled flirtatiously- her cheeks turned red. "My father would never let me leave," she responded, "especially with a pirate."

"Yeah, but what do you want?" He turned to face her. They were close enough to feel each other's warm breaths.

"I want to marry you," she whispered. She leaned in for a loving kiss, but stopped when she heard quiet weeping.

Holden twisted his head to the sound. He saw a bent over form near trees. Quickly pulling out his sword, he moved toward it until he realized that the thing was Maria. He furrowed his brow in confusion. Dancing Moon followed behind nervously. "Maria?"  
/he asked. "Why are you out here? Are you okay?"

Maria, who's face was buried deep in her arms, shook her head no. Holden crouched down next to her and rubbed her on the back comfortingly like a big brother. "What's going on?"

Dancing Moon popped out from behind Holden and observed Maria. That's when she noticed her arm. It was still bleeding, nothing to stop it. "You're bleeding!" she yelled. Instantly, she went into action, ripping off a piece of her dress off and covering  
/Maria's wound.

Maria looked up at the girl for a moment, eyes red and puffy from crying, and then gazed at Holden. "Peter tricked me," she said at last. Her voice was weak. "He never liked me."

"What?" Holden asked.

"He used me as bait for my dad. He also cut my arm on purpose." She began shaking uncontrollably.

"Oh. Maria I'm really sorry," he cooed.

Dancing Moon pressed against the gapping cut. "It's going to need proper treatment. Come, I'll take care of you in my tent," coaxed. Holden stood up and helped Maria to her feet.

But before they could get far. Hook appeared on the beach, searching helplessly for his daughter. "Maria, where did you go?" he shouted. As he scanned the surrounding area, his eyes caught a glimpse of her. "MARIA!" He took off in a full run after her,  
/needing to see her face.

Dancing moon's eyes widened in fear and she glanced at Holden, who was equally scared. "Go! I'll take care of her," he explained.

She looked down at the shivering girl and then sprinted away.

Holden put his arm around Maria, and they turned around to face Hook. Hook slowed his running as he approached the two. "Sweetie, are you alright? How your arm? Did he hurt you anywhere else?" he asked, concerned.

Maria stood with hunched shoulders. "I'm fine," she lied. Of course she wasn't fine! How else was she supposed to react to Peter's betrayal?

Smee, who ran up at the same time Hook had, panted heavily. He had absolutely know idea what happened, and he assumed that Maria was just being careless. "Maria, where have you been?" he scolded. "I've been worried sick!"

"Not know," Hook hissed. He could tell Maria was upset, and he didn't want Smee making her feel worse. "Come on. Let's get inside." He gestured for Maria to come to him, and she obeyed. She fought back tears as her dad guided her into the ship. The oil  
/lamps dimly lit the family room. The old, red couch sat in the corner of the room, which is where Maria decided to curl up on. She wrapped a blanket around herself. She wanted to be alone; she needed to be able to think of what to do. She wondered  
/how Sasha would act if a boy did this to her. She knew that she wouldn't take it well if someone betrayed her.

Hook squeezed Maria's hand tightly and smiled nicely. "I'm going to clean myself up," he told. He then turned to Smee, who was staring at her. "Mr. Smee, will you take care of her for me?"

"Aye, aye, Captain," he muttered. He was so disappointed in Peter and somewhat in Maria. He felt like she should've known better than to fall for her dad's worst enemy. Smee was also disappointed at himself! He should've dragged Maria home the night she  
/went on her first date.

Once Hook had left the scene, Holden plopped down next to Maria and embraced her.

"I was afraid this was going to happen if you dated him!" Smee said while pacing the floor.

"You were right," Maria sighed sadly. "I should have never trusted him." She avoided eye contact and stared at the floor.

Smee lightened up after she had spoken. He could tell she was heartbroken. "I'm sorry. I know you liked him."

"I am, too."

Smee saw her eyelids getting heavy. She looked exhausted. "Why don't we fix your arm up so you can go rest for a little while? You've had a pretty long day." Maria nodded, and Smee went jogging into another room to find the stupid first-aid kit, which  
/was always getting lost.

Holden felt Maria rest her head on his shoulder, making a little smile appear. It didn't take long for her to be out. "Thanks for not ratting me out to my dad," she yawned.

"Isn't that what crew mates are for? Not telling the captain stuff?" he joked softly. Maria giggled at his remark. She needed some humor right then. She wears still upset, but Holden had a way of making her feel a whole lot better. She kind of wished  
/that they had gotten along better before.

Smee hurriedly cleaned and wrapped Maria's arm and sent her off to bed. No matter what she did, Maria couldn't fall asleep; she had way too much on her mind. All she could think about was Peter. How can anyone see him as a hero? she thought. He doesn't  
/actually care about anyone! All he wants is a good fight!

With that thought, Maria burst into tears. She wondered if she overacting, but then again, she knew she had the right to be upset. She didn't have to be strong. So she let the tears drip onto her pillow and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

 **Hey!**  
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 **I'm so sorry it took me such a long time to post this chapter. It needed a lot morework than I thought it would. I hope you liked it!Please Favorite, Follow, and Review!**

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 **Thanks,**

 **Kacibubbles**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Peter woke up with a start. Immediately, he examined his surroundings, making sure the area was pirate free. He twisted his body from left to right. Luckily, no pirates were in sight.

He leaned back on the tree he fell asleep at and rubbed his eyes gingerly. His nose and neck hurt tremendously. The blood from his nose had crusted onto his upper lip, and the blood from his neck had dried all the way onto his collar.

Peter sighed and forced himself up to his feet, using the tree to help him up. Then he trudged over to a nearby stream and cupped some of the clean water into his hands. He tenderly dipped his nose into the cool water and rubbed his neck clean of blood.

Once he felt relatively clean, he decided to go back to the hideout. The whole time, Peter wondered what he could've done better so Maria wouldn't be upset with him. He figured that he probably shouldn't have lied to Hook. Maybe if he had just told the  
truth about her coming in from the rain and him not knowing about those barbiturate berries, then the might not be in this mess. Oh, how he wished he could turn back time. He would've just disposed of those horrible berries.

Before he even knew it, Peter was back at the open door of Hangman's Tree. He slowly stepped into the warmth and comfort of inside. With a sudden burst of anger, he turned back to the door and slammed it shut. Then he yanked his hat off his head and threw  
it to the ground. Then, while taking deep breaths, he rested his forehead against the wooden door. "I am so stupid," he muttered.

Slightly woke up out of his dead sleep, also waking up all of the other boys up. "Who's there?" he shouted. Thinking an intruder had snuck in, he put his fists up in front of his face. The other boys followed suit.

Peter sighed in frustration. "It's just me!" he yelled. He waved his hand dismissively and then proceeded to his room, hoping that they would not ask him questions. It would be too much to explain.

Cubby noticed Peter's cut on his neck and gasped. "What happened to your neck?" he asked, concerned. "And where's Maria?"

Peter quickly covered it with his hand, embarrassed, and averted his eyes. "Oh, nothing. I'm fine," he said. "It's just a scratch."  
"Are you sure?" Slightly questioned. "It looks pretty deep!" He walked up to him and prodded at his wound.

Peter grimaced as Slightly's finger lightly pressed against the cut. "Ow," he hissed. Slightly raised his eyebrows in an I-told-you-so fashion. Peter rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine. Hook came for Maria and nearly killed me."

"Hook was here?"

Peter shook his head yes and dropped his hand down to his side.

"Why didn't you wake us up? We would've helped you!"

"I tried but you ate those stupid barbiturate berries just like Maria! You wouldn't wake up!"

"You fed us what?" Slightly had never heard that word before. Actually, nobody had.

"Barbiturate berries. They make whoever eats them fall asleep."

"Oh!"

"Yeah," Peter sighed. "Don't eat those berries."

"So what happened to Maria?" Nibs asked. He stepped forward and crossed his arms.

"Oh, um, let's just say she won't be hanging out with us again." Peter began opening the curtain to his room.

"Why not?" Cubby interjected.

"Well, when Hook came, I tied Maria up, so he wouldn't think I was being nice to her. And then I accidentally cut her arm, but Hook told her I did it on purpose." He hung his head low, ashamed.

"You hurt her?" the twins shouted. They balled their fists up.

"It was an accident!" Peter nearly screamed. He pressed his face into the palms of his hands and felt tears coming. They all stood in the awkward silence. None of them moved in fear of an uproar from their leader.

At last, Peter looked up, not sure what to do. "I'm heading to bed," he said, holding all of his emotions back. He pushed the curtain away and stepped through.

His room was a mess. There was a pile of weapons in the far corner, a ripped up chair against the left wall, a broken clock whose pendulum never moved hanging above the chair, and a another pile near the doorway. It consisted of girl clothes, a belt,  
and a sword.

Peter's eyes widened. Those were Maria's clothes! He quickly scooped all of the things in his arms and sprinted out of the room. "Guys, I know how I can fix all of this!" He scratched around for a bag to throw all of Maria's stuff in. His eyes fixated  
on a canvas bag and he smiled. Quickly, he stuffed everything into it. "Slightly, you're in charge until I get back." He grabbed his dagger and then picked up his hat.

And with that, he hauled the bag over his shoulder and flew out the door. The boys looked at each other , confused. They didn't know what was going on with him! He nearly cried, which he rarely did, and he just went out the door without telling them where  
he was going. Something wasn't right with him, and it was the love bug, incurable, untreatable.

"Maria!"

Holden zoomed down the hall and stopped at Maria's closed door. "Maria!"

The sleeping Maria only stirred under the comforter. She thought she heard someone calling her name, but she ignored it. Her head throbbed and her arm stung every time the sheets touched it. The last hung she wanted to do was get up.

Next thing she knew, someone was frantically shaking her to the point that sleep was not an option. She fluttered eyes open and grumbled. "What, Holden?"

"Where's your dad's treasure?" he asked urgently.

"What?" she mumbled. "Why do you-?"

"I'm getting off this ship... today!"

"Huh?" Nothing he was saying was making any sense!

"We're going to the Mainland today because you have a sleepover with Sasha. This is my shot to leave!" He stood up straight and put his hands on his hips. His smile had never been wider.

Maria propped herself up on her elbow and rubbed her eyes. "My sleepover's today?" That couldn't be better timing! she thought to herself. She wouldn't have to see Peter for a whole day!

"Yes! Now where's Hook's treasure?"

"Why do you need it?" She peered out he window to see that pink rays were just coming through. It was sunrise.

"I'll need money when I'm on the mainland. I'm not sleeping on any more benches. Those days are over." He froze suddenly, remembering something very important. "I gotta go get Dancing Moon!" He leaped up and took off running before Maria had a chance  
to object.

She sighed to herself and laid her head back down on her pillow. He was never going to make it back in time.

After only a few minutes, she was back in dreamland and fast asleep.

Before long, the ship was bustling with pirates preparing the ship for flight. Others were grabbing whatever they could find for breakfast.

"Maria," Smee called. He was carrying a tray with some breakfast on it made for her. He knew she had a rough night and thought she could use some special treatment.

"What do you want?" Maria asked sleepily through the door. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes since Holden had disturbed her peaceful slumber.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." Maria sat up and swung her legs over the side of her bed.

He opened the door using his back and spun around, revealing the breakfast he had made. "How are you feeling?"

She looked at Smee with dread. "My arm feels slightly better. My heart-" she paused, not knowing the right words. "My heart not so much."

Before he could open his mouth to speak again Hook walked in. "Good morning, Love! Sleep well?" he asked. He was obviously being extra nice to her. He never woke her up so friendly.

Maria just looked down at the floor. "I slept alright."

He pouted a little and plopped on the bed next to her and patted her leg. "I can't even imagine what that must've been like." He then stroked her hair. "It must have been so frightening."

"Yeah, it was." She wiped a tear away with the back of her arm.

"How's your arm?"

"Fine."

"Can I take a look at it?"

"Go ahead."

He inched toward her arm, unwrapped it, and gulped at the torn skin. "It's pretty deep. Surprised it's not infected!" He reached out with his hand and touched it gently.

"Ow!" Maria yelled while slapping his hand away.

"Sorry!" She bit her bottom lip, trying to hide her pain. Hook noticed she was really down. "Well, this might make you feel better. I believe you have a slumber party to attend today!" He knew she would be happy when she heard that she got to be around  
girls for a little while.

"Yeah, I know," she said, suddenly in a better mood. She noticed Hook's conyused expression and decided to explain. "Holden told me."

"Oh!" Hook chuckled and patted her leg again. "Well, we cast off in a few minutes so get packed." He leaned over and kissed her check. Then he hopped up and strolled casually out the door, leaving Maria alone with Smee. He set the tray on the bed and  
smiled at the girl who had put on such a strong front. But on the inside, he knew she was hurting. "You okay?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Maria assured him. She knew she was lying to herself though. "I'm fine." She brushed her hair out of her face and sighed. Of course she wasn't alright! She felt so stupid for trusting Peter. She felt appalled at the careless way she fell for him.  
He needed to pay for what he did. And that would be her number one priority when she got back from London.

Smee could sense her inner conflict and decided to give her some space. He smiled gently at her and then scurried away like a rat.

Maria rummaged through the drawers until she laid her eyes on a black t-shirt and red shorts. She quickly threw them into a duffel bag. Then she tottered into the bathroom with her bag and grabbed her toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hairbrush, and  
chapstick.

She dropped her bag down at her feet and quickly commenced to brushing her hair with her dad's comb. She peered at her reflection. Something was off, but she didn't know what. Her face hadn't suffered any damage from the night before. Giving up, she tossed  
the duffel bag over her shoulder and went back to her room to eat.

The tray Smee carried in held a banana and an egg roll up. She peeled back the banana and bit a chunk out of it. After chewing, she gingerly picked up the roll up and ravenously ate it.

Soon after, she trotted into the kitchen and scraped the remains of her roll up. While she was finishing off her banana, the ship lurched forward, making Maria tumble onto her knees. They were flying.

Excited, she zoomed outside to see the island from up above. It was a view she loved but rarely saw. As the Jolly Roger zoomed higher into the sky, Maria watched the island and all her worries shrink into a tiny spec.

Then, without much time passing, Big Ben was peeking out from the clouds. The time was 7:30 and the sun had already set, ending in a dazzling orange and pink sky.

Hook was shouting out orders, and Maria joined the crew in helping with the descent. She knew the ship inside and out.

Hook, who was standing behind the wheel, smirked when he saw his daughter trimming the sail. She always was helpful around he ship. He couldn't have been prouder of her. Even with that set back the day before, she dusted herself right off and remained  
happy.

The ship zoomed past the dock, which is where Hook normally dropped Maria off, making her stop helping and stare at his father. "Dad?" She walked onto the poopdeck and rested against the railing.

"I just want to make sure you get there safely," he answered before she was done talking.

"I've walked the path to the dock plenty of times. I would've been fine."

"Peter comes to the house, I just want to see you get inside."

"Dad, Peter won't bother me again. Trust me, I know."

"Just let me see you go in! That's all I want!"

Maria sighed. "Fine. But if my friends find out I'm a pirate, I'm blaming you."

It didn't take long until they were hovering in front of the house. Two crew members dropped a rickety, rope ladder over the side of the ship. Hook guided his daughter down to the ladder. hen he made her face him, and he rested his hand on her shoulder.  
"Have fun, tonight. Don't get into trouble," he instructed before kissing Maria on her head.

"I will," she said. "Love you!" and with that, Maria climbed over the edge and slid her hands down the rungs. Once her feet hit the ground, she backed up, knowing they would be throwing her bag down. She was right. Her black bag came hurdling at her.  
She swerved out of the way just in time. The bag crashed onto the side walk, resulting in a loud thump.

After the ship soared back into the sky, Maria picked up her bag, went over to the door, and knocked softly on the door.

Margaret, who was putting in her earrings, strolled over to the door. She could see through the glass that Maria was standing outside. She was shocked when she noticed she was wearing a pink nightgown. Margaret opened the door and flashed her motherly  
smile. "Maria!" she explained. "How are you? Please come in!"

"Hey, Margaret. I'm alright. How are you?" she asked, purposely changing the subject to something other than her.

"I'm wonderful! I love your nightgown, by the way. I don't think I've ever seen you in pink."

Maria cringed. She never changed out of the nightgown Peter gave her. But the worst part was that she forgot her gloves. She pulled down on her left sleeve so her tattoo was covered. "Thanks," she sighed. "It's new." She couldn't believe Hook would let  
her off the ship wearing it.

Margaret furrowed her brow. She had seen that exact nightgown before, but she couldn't remember where. "Let me take your bag for you," she said, giving up. While reaching for her bag, Margaret found Maria's sleeve was ripped, and her arm had a bloody  
bandage underneath it. "What happened?" She grabbed Maria's wrist and twisted it so she get a better look at.

"Oh." Maria paused. What was she supposed to say? "I got into some trouble before I got here. But I'm alright."

"Trouble?" Margaret questioned.

"It was nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing. Who did this to you?"

"Some boy. I don't even know him." Maria hid the fact that she was lying well. "I thought I did, but I was wrong. He turned out to be a jerk."

Margaret crossed her arms, perplexed. "Well, clearly. A nice person wouldn't do that to you, now would he?"

Maria chuckled. "Yeah."

Margaret glanced at Maria's arm again. "Would you like me to change your dressing?"

Maria looked down at her feet. "No, it alright. Thank you, though."

"You're welcome." Her voice was very soothing and motherly. Margaret took her bag and moved swiftly to the staircase. "Sasha, Maria's here!" she yelled so Sasha would hear her.

And in seconds, a young girl with blonde hair hopped down the stairs eagerly. "Maria!" she exclaimed. "Oh my goodness, I'm so glad to see you. I've missed you so much." She eyeballed Maria's nightgown and gasped. "You look so lovely." She placed a hand  
on her heart.

Maria sighed. "Thanks."

"Where did you get this?" she asked while picking up the body of the dress.

"Oh, a friend gave it to me," Maria lied. Peter was not her friend anymore.

"Cool! Now, would you help me pick up the nursery? Ally trashed it." She grasped Maria's injured arm, making her whimper softly. Sasha released it and held her hands close to herself. "What?"

"My arm hurts, that's all."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know."

"Exactly," Maria said while resting her hand on Sasha's shoulder. "You didn't know, so don't be sorry."

Sasha offered a smile and then grabbed Maria's bag from Margaret. "Well, come on. We've got a lot of cleaning to do before the others get here." She scurried up the stairs, and Maria followed close behind.

Once they reached the door, Sasha stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Just a fair warning. Ally has become very intolerable since you left."

"How could she be intolerable? She's so adorable!" Maria crossed her arms. Instead of answering with words, Sasha twisted the doorknob and pushed open the nursery door.

What was displayed before Maria was absolutely shocking. Ally was wearing a red t-shirt, black pants, a black jacket, and two leather gloves. Maria stepped close to Sasha. "She looks like me," she whispered.

"Yep. She wants to be like you and she thinks your a pirate, but I keep telling her that you're not." Sasha chuckled. "Isn't that just ridiculous?"

Maria tensed up. "Yeah, ridiculous." She pulled down further on her sleeve.

"Ally, look who's here,"

Ally gazed up from her toys and beamed when her eyes fixated on Maria. "MARIA!" she squealed. Instantly, she ran over and leaped into Maria's arms. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you, too!" Maria giggled. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Ally chirped. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she stated matter of factly. "I'm excited to be here!"

"Do you want to play?"

"Ally," Sasha interrupted, "Maria's going to help me clean up. Maybe she'll play with you later."

"Cleaning up isn't fun!"

"It can be," Maria chimed. "You just have to make it fun." Maria stepped into the room and glanced around for some inspiration. "For instance," she began, "this isn't the nursery; this is a pirate ship. And your ruthless captain, Margaret, will throw  
you in the brig if you don't clean up."

Ally cocked her head. "What's the brig?" she asked in confusion.

"Boat jail," Maria said blatantly. Ally's eyes widened. Instantly, she scurried around the room, picking up any swords and toys she passed. Once her arms were full, she deposited the things into her chest.

Sasha nudged Maria in the arm. "You know, you're really good with kids," she admitted. "You would be a great mother."

Maria smiled proudly. "Thanks," she mumbled while walking over to her bed. She found it funny that Sasha thought she would make a good mother considering she didn't even remember her mom.

Sasha then set Maria's bag down and moved over to her makeup vanity, which wasn neat as possible. She sat down in the chair, combed her hair out of her face, and then touched up her lipgloss.

Maria shuffled over to her bed and fingered the comforter. Man, ur felt good to be home. No Peter. No Lost Boys. No stress. She glanced at the window that was wide open. Thinking that at any moment Peter could fly through and kill her, Maria swiftly moved  
over to it and shut it tightly.

Ally, not sure what Maria was doing, twisted her head to the sound of the window being locked. "What are you doing?" she shouted. "You can't lock the window!" She dropped the toys in her arms and ran over to her. "What if Peter comes and the window's  
locked?"

"Then I'll be happy," Maria mumbled.

"Why would you want him to be sad?"

"Never mind," she crossed her arms and went back over to her bed.

Ally climbed up on the window seat and unlatched the hook shaped lock. "I have a feeling Peter's coming here tonight. I mean, since our parents are going out, and he came when great-great grandparents went out, it could mean he comes tonight."

Sasha spun around in her chair and rested her arm on the back. "Ally, you do know he's not real, right?" she scoffed.

"Yes he is," Ally rebutted. "He took Mommy to Neverland!"

"She just says that! You really think that she flew into a star and stopped aging?"

Maria scratched the back of her head. "Actually, you don't stop aging automatically when you go into Neverland. You have to say 'I don't want to grow up' and mean it before you stop growing up."

The room went silent. Maria raised one eyebrow, confused. "What?"

"How do you know all of that?" Ally asked.

"I've done my research." Maria shrugged off.

"So, Neverland is real?"

"Of course!"

Sasha stood up and balled up her fists. "Maria, outside. Now." She stormed over to Maria and yanked her off her bed. They made their way out of the nursery. Sasha slammed the door behind them. "What are you doing?" she scolded.

Maria crossed her arms again. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"Why are you convincing Ally that Neverland is real?"

"Um, I don't know. Maybe because her sister always trying to make her grow up. She's six! What's wrong with her believing in things?"

"Maria, I'm just trying to protect her."

"From what? Having fun?"

"Oh, grow up, Maria! We know that fairies don't-"

Maria threw her hands over Sasha's mouth. "Don't say that! Every time someone says that, a fairy dies."

Sasha pushed Maria's hands down. "How do you still believe in all of this nonsense? I thought you were more mature than this."

Maria began to open her mouth but was cut off from the sound of a doorbell. Maria gazed at her feet. "You better go get that," she said weakly.

Sasha spun on her heels and headed down the steps. Maria glanced over at the door to see who it was. It was Kate, Sasha's best friend. Maria sighed and then headed back into the nursery. Ally was waiting right in front of the door. When she saw Maria's  
defeated face, she frowned. "You okay?" she asked lovingly.

"Yeah, I'm alright." She forced a smile.

"Good. Now, do you want to play pirates?"

Maria smirked. "Didn't we just clean up?" she teased.

"Well, yeah, but we won't make a mess. I promise."

Maria leaned against the doorframe, amused at Ally. Whenever they played, they always made a mess. "Sure."

Excited, Ally zoomed to her chest and grabbed the wooden swords, a hook, and bandannas. "Here," she said while tossing Maria a sword.

Maria dove onto the ground to catch it and then sat on the ground. Ally placed her hook on the right hand and held her sword in her other hand. "Ally, it was the left hand," she prompted.

"Oh, right!" Ally bopped her head playfully with the hook and then switched the two toys. Then she charged at Maria and swung at her.

Just then, Margaret came through the door and chuckled. "Captain Ally, may I join in your fight?"

"Sure!"

Margaret, who was all dressed up for her date, was handed a sword and eyepatch. "Now, on guard!" She lunged at her daughter and chased her all over the room. Ally jumped onto her bed and blocked all of her swings.

"Hey! Don't hurt the Captain!" Maria exclaimed. She jumped into action and thrusters her sword at Margaret. Surprisingly, Margaret was able to unarm her and threw the sword over to the side of the room. Maria's mouth gaped open.

"What?" Margaret laughed. "It's not like I haven't fought pirates before."

Maria just stood there in pure shock. "But I fence!" she stuttered.

"Well, I had a pretty good teacher."

"Peter?" Ally interjected.

"Yep! He fights pirates all the time!" She glanced at Maria's dress. It suddenly hit her. She gave that nightgown to Peter for her daughters. It was her turn for her jaw to drop.

Maria knew she figured it out. She tugged further down on her sleeve. Luckily, Tom, Ally's father came walking in. "Tom!" Maria yelled. "How are you? I haven't seen you in a while." She ran over to him and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Oh," he chuckled. "I'm fine." His deep blue eyes stared down at the girl. "You look different," he mentioned.

Maria's heart was racing. She was going to lose her cover. "Yes, I'm wearing pink. I forgot to change before I got here. Alright?"

Tom drew his strong arms back, not knowing what he did to upset Maria. "I think you look nice!"

Maria tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Thanks." Her face softened and she glanced over to her bed. Why couldn't the whole party be sleeping? She would be able to hide who she was much easier when she hid behind her closed curtains that hung from  
the canopy of her bed.

"Are you ready to go, Darling?" he eventually asked.

"Yes." Margaret bent down to kiss Ally on the head and then did the same to Maria. "Have fun, you two. Don't get into too much trouble. Love you!" But before leaving, Margaret studied her once more.

Then, Tom took Margaret by the hand and waved goodbye to the two kids.

Maria stood uncomfortably in the middle of the room. Ally tilted her head in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Maria snapped out of her reverie and turned to face the little girl. Waking toward her, she smiled. The whole secret thing was driving her crazy. She wanted to just come out and tell Ally that she was a pirate, but it was too risky. "Nothing. I'm just  
tired, that's all," she lied. Biting her lip, she headed over to her bed and flopped face first onto the cloud like comforter.

"You can't be tired yet! We've barely played!"

Maria moaned and flipped onto her back. "Alright," she mumbled. "What do you want to play?"

A smile formed on Ally's face. "Peter Pan and Captain Hook," she said while digging through her toy chest again. She pulled out an exact replica of Peter's outfit and payed it next to Maria. "Here, put this on!"

Maria glanced at the costume and sighed. Of course, she thought to herself. Reluctantly, she gathered the clothes in her arms and headed into the bathroom. She quickly slipped the outfit over her head. A quick look in the mirror made Maria cringe. "You're  
doing this for Ally," she whispered as she threw on the hat.

As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, Ally pointed her foam sword at Maria's chest. "So, Peter Pan, we meet again," she smirked.

Maria glanced around the room and found a Wendy doll tied to Ally's bed pole. "Let Wendy go, Hook!" she demanded.

"Never! If you want her, you'll have to fight me."

Maria drew her "knife" and smacked Ally's lightly. "Prepare to meet your doom!"

And with that, the fight was on. There was jumping on beds, walking on a pillow plank, and a bunch of running. They lost track of time. Maria, for once let go of her worries and let herself have some fun. After the whole fight with Peter, she needed to  
have some fun.

Eventually, Maria let Ally disarm her and pin her against a wall. Maria put her hands above her head, surrendering. Ally lowered her sword when she noticed a black hook on Maria's hand. "Woah! Is that real?" she asked, totally in awe.

Maria realized she meant her tattoo and quickly hid her hand behind her back. "Is what real?" Maria said nervously.

"Your tattoo!"

Maria sighed. She knew there was nothing she could do to cover that up. She let her hand fall to her side "Yeah. But, please-!"

"So you're a pirate? Oh my gosh! This is so cool! I've always wanted to meet one! Wait, are you good or bad?" Ally stepped back, unsure.

"Good, I guess." Smirking, Maria watched Ally

"That's good! I didn't think you were bad, but I just wanted to check. Who is your captain?"

"I'll give you a hint." She showed her palm again.

Ally gasped. "Hook? You sail with Hook?"

"He's my dad!"

"No way! So you fight Indians? Mermaids? Lost Boys? Peter Pan?"

"Not so many mermaids. They don't really bother us. Plus, it's kinda hard to fight in the water without drowning."

"Oh, wait until I tell Sasha! She's going to flip!"

Maria tried to tell her not to tell Sasha, but Ally had already ran out of the room. Crap! Maria thought. She chased after Ally down the stairs, but Ally had beaten her to Sasha and was telling her about the tattoo.

When Maria got to the family room, Sasha glared at her. "Maria, what is my sister talking about?" she asked firmly.

"Nothing! She's just pretending," Maria lied.

"Nuh-uh!" Ally yelled. "She has a tattoo to prove it!" Ally walked over to Maria and yanked it forward. "See?"

Sasha's eyes widened when she saw the hook tattoo. All of the other girls, who had shown up while she was in the nursery, gathered around to look. "You're a pirate? This is unbelievable! I can't believe you didn't tell me about this before!"

"Well, you're not exactly the most supportive person, Sasha!"

"I'm sorry that I don't condone killing people!"

"Not all pirates kill people."

"Have you?"

"Yeah, in self defense."

There was a slight pause. Then Sasha pulled Ally behind her. "I think you should leave."

Maria swallowed hard. "You're kicking me out?" Maria asked softly. "But, were friends! I would never hurt you!"

"How do I know that? You're working for Hook! How do I know you're not going to slit my throat in my sleep?"

Maria reached out to touch Sasha's arm, but she squealed and backed away. Maria stood there, feeling insecure and awkward. "I would never do that," she mumbled. "I should've told you, but I was scared this would happen."

Sasha righted her lips, making herself appear tough. "Just go, or I'll call the police."

"What?" Maria had no idea what to do. Ally stood behind her sister, clearly upset at what happened. "Some friends you are!" Maria's voice cracked. She headed to the door and pulled it open. She stepped through only to be pushed down to the porch and have  
the door slammed shut and locked.

"This is officially the worst day of my life!" she said to herself. She sat down on the curb and looked at her reflection in a puddle. She didn't see anything scary- just a girl! She sighed and brought her knees up to her chest. Her dad wouldn't be back  
for her until the morning, and she didn't have anywhere to sleep.

Just then, a boy dressed in green sat down next to her. "Maria?" he asked.

"Go away, Peter. I'm not in the mood," Maria said while wiping away a tear.

"I was just making sure you were okay." Peter said innocently.

"Well, I'm not," she retorted.

"Why are you out here?" He turned to face her, but she stayed staring at the road.

"My friends kicked me out."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm a pirate."

"They kicked you out for that! But, why?"

"They were scared, I guess."

"I'm sorry. Nobody should be treated like that." He stretched out his arms and tried to give her a hug, but Maria scooted away from him. He quickly pulled his arms back, understanding that she was still mad at him. He didn't know what to do to make her  
feel better. But then, he remembered the sack full of her stuff that was resting on the concrete. He seized it and put it on his lap. "I brought you back your stuff." he smiled.

"Thanks," Maria said, still upset. She grabbed the bag and looked through it. It had everything in there-her clothes, her sword, and her belt.

"By the way, I like your outfit." he laughed.

Maria had totally forgotten she was in his costume. She cringed. "I can explain."

"No need. I think you look nice in green." He rested his cheek on his fist.

Maria blushed. "Thanks," she smiled.

"I'm really sorry about last night. After you fell asleep, your dad-." Maria cupped her hand over his mouth so she could listen. She thought she heard police sirens.

"Do you hear that?"

Peter removed her hand from his mouth. He furrowed his brow. "Yeah. What is that?"

"Police sirens."

"There are police mermaids here? But there isn't even water around!"

Maria laughed at his naïveté about real world things. "No, they're like really loud horns."

"Oh." Peter cheeks turned red from embarrassment.

After a moment or two, the sirens were getting very loud and Maria's heart began to pound. She had a feeling Sasha had actually called the cops. "We need to get out of here!" Maria said urgently. She hopped up and began walking in the opposite direction  
of the sirens.

"Why?" Peter asked innocently.

"I think the police are after me."

"Why would they be after you?" Peter asked while standing up.

"They don't like pirates."

"Why?"

"Because, I'm bad and they promote goodness!"

"What will they do to you if you get caught?"

"Throw me in jail, a place kinda like the brig on a ship."

"So, they're like pirates?"

"No! They- never mind. Let's just go!"

Peter stood up and looked around to see if the police were coming. What he saw made him panic. There was a black car coming down the street with flashing lights on top. "Is that them?" Peter asked, terrified.

Maria looked at the car and felt sick. "Yeah."

Peter drew his knife, ready to defend himself. There was no way he would be taken to jail, where he wouldn't be able to escape. He would have to grow up!

The car skidded to the stop Two officers got out of the car and held billy clubs in their hands. They looked very serious. If they were scared, they didn't show it.

Maria saw that Peter had his knife out and quickly pushed his arm down. He was not helping them. She looked at the blank faces and felt her heart beating a million times a minute. There was no way out of this. Maria glanced over her shoulder and saw a  
clear path to run. "We gotta make a run for it!" she whispered into Peter's ear.

"Hey, no whispering!" an officer commanded. Peter put his dagger away.

"I can fly us outta here," Peter suggested.

"No! They'll just shoot us down!" Maria rejected.

"I said no whispering! Now get in the car, and no one gets hurt." The cop interjected. One of the cops began heading towards them.

"GO!" Maria ordered. She took off in a sprint and Peter followed close behind.

The police chased after them with their big sticks. Peter caught up to Maria and took her by the hand. She yanked it away quickly. Peter needed to apologize to her. He hated her being mad at him. "Maria, I'm sorry about last night! It was an accident."  
They rounded a corner and passed a few stores.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that you 'accidentally' tied me up, cut my arm, and then tore out my heart and stepped on it?" she yelled.

"Yes! No."

Maria rolled her eyes.

"Just listen, okay?"

"Go on!" Maria grunted.

"After you fell asleep, your dad came to rescue you. And when I saw it was him, I panicked! I didn't know what to do! So, I tied you up and told your dad that I tricked you. And then we fought, and, at one point, he had me pinned to the post that you  
were tied to. He was about to strike me, but I spun around so he wouldn't hurt me. That's when I accidentally cut your arm. And then, your dad tried to kill me. But luckily, you saved me."

"Really?" Maria had a hint of hope of her voice.

"Yes!"

"Oh!" She smiled. Her heart fluttered with happiness. She had thought Peter had betrayed her; but, now she knew that he really did! She almost forgot that they were running from the cops in all of the happiness. She kept running, her legs already in pain.  
The crossed London Bridge. Maria assumed they had been running for half an hour.

Peter turned his head to see if they had lost the officers. No luck. They were still being chased. How can we lose them? he thought. Just then, he heard a click and turned back around to see what it was. A gun. He began to panic. He hated guns. When he  
turned to look for Maria, she had gained some distance from him. "Maria, get down!" Peter shouted.

He saw the gun aimed directly for Maria. Knowing what he has to do, he jumped in the way just as they fired. A bullet went into Peter's right arm, creating a hole that instantly began bleeding.

Peter crashed to the ground in pain. He heard the footsteps of two cops coming close to him but didn't move. He didn't think he could. All of his thoughts were consumed with pain.

Maria stopped and turned around to see what happened. She could hear whimpering. "Peter?" she yelled.

"Go!" he choked out. He felt hands press against the hole and knew he had been caught. Peter cried and bit his knuckle, trying to distract himself from the pain. He heard one of the officers calling for help, but everything was getting blurry. His head  
felt light. He tried pushing himself up but collapsed back down.

Maria waited for him to do something, but he never moved. Finally she ran over to him and pulled him up, not knowing he was injured. She yanked him forward and made him start running. The officers ordered them to stop but she ignored them.

Together, they raced through the city until they finally dove into a familiar alley way. Maria remembered the hot and stifled air. It was the same one she was attacked. Both kids held their breaths until both cops passed them.

Maria leaned against the brick wall and painted heavily. Her legs felt like jelly. They had ran about ten kilometers. The whole island of Neverland wasn't even that wide.

Peter's breathing was labored, and he sunk down to the ground, pinning his arm close to his side.

Maria tilted her head in concern for Peter. "You okay? You look really pale," she stated.

"I got shot in the arm," he whispered through his breaths.

"Wait, what?" Maria immediately couched down and checked his wound. It was still spilling blood. She almost barfed at the sight. Rummaging through her bag, she pulled her shirt out of it and tried blotting the blood away. But it only made it worse. Plus,  
Peter was crying from the pain.

"Why did they shoot you? I should've been their target," she muttered.

"You were!" Peter told. "I jumped in the way so you didn't get hurt."

Maria's mouth was gaping open at those words. "You took a bullet for me?" She couldn't believe it! He really did like her!

Peter was suddenly kissed. Maria's lips planted themselves on his. Peter reached up and stroked Maria's soft hair. Maria's hand slid up to his shoulder, and she then lifted her lips off of him. "Thank you," she whispered.

They stared into each other's eyes, and Peter almost forget the pain he was in. It was indeed a powerful kiss, but Peter was still hurt. The pain came back. Peter cringed and clasped his hand over the hole. "Maria, I need you to know something."

"What?" Maria asked.

"I can't fly." 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Maria stared at the pale boy. A thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead. His arm wouldn't stop bleeding not matter how hard she tried. She knew he needed medical attention but didn't have a phone to call for help. Peter also was too weak to walk  
all the way to the hospital.

Taking a bullet for her was super sweet, but she know how they were going to get home. "Peter," Maria mumbled, "you need to go to the hospital. You're losing way too much blood, and I don't know how to help stop it."

Peter was still breathing heavily. "What's a hospital?" he asked, cringing from the pain.

"It a place that helps people. They will be able to make you feel better." She said while standing up.

"How long will that take?"

"Um, probably a few days for observation."

"So I'll have to grow up?" Peter held his arm and looked up at Maria. "Maria, I won't stay here! I don't want to grow any older!"

"Peter, you would only age a few days."

"Yeah, and that would make me even closer to being an adult! And they could send me to school. Then what?"

Maria sighed and rubbed her arms. She couldn't argue with him! He wouldn't listen. "Fine, what do you suggest we do?" She sat down next to him and pressed on against his wound again. Her hands were soaked with blood.

"You could fly us home," Peter said finally. He leaned his head back on the building and closed his eyes, feeling very faint.

"I can't fly! Last time I tried, I broke my arm!"

"I remember. I had to fly you to the Indian camp. But I think you could do it now!"

"Why?" Maria asked.

"Because you've changed!" Peter turned to her and looked her directly in the eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Maria furrowed her brow and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm the same girl I was before."

"Oh, really? You would have helped me like this in the beginning of the summer?" He raised one eyebrow, as if to prove his point.

Maria looked down. "I just know you better now. You're not the bad guy my dad said you were."

Peter wiped the sweat from his forehead and could tell he was running a fever. "Maria, I have to get to the Indian camp," he stated. "And you're the only way I can get there!"

Maria rubbed her face, accidentally smearing his blood all over his face. She was afraid something would go wrong, and he would get hurt worse. "Fine," she said at last.

Peter dug through his pocket and pulled out a small pouch. Maria took it from him gently. She then sprinkled some of the gold dust on her head and quickly handed it back to Peter. She took in a deep breath, hoping that she would be able to fly without  
breaking anything.

"Alright, now think happy thoughts," Peter prompted.

Maria searched her brain for a happy memory, but nothing was happy enough. Peter seeing she was struggling, forced himself up onto his feet and placed his uninsured arm on her shoulder. "You can do this," he whispered softly. Maria looked into his brown  
eyes. She could've cried swung him so weak. But before she could say anything. Peter eased his lips onto her's.

Without even realizing it, Maria began to hover above the ground. Peter stopped the kiss abruptly. "There! Now you're doing it," he chuckled.

Maria looked down at her feet, shocked by not having anything under her. She was doing it; she was flying! "How did you-?" she stuttered.

"I thought that might do it." He held his arm protectively as he climbed onto her back. "I'll be able to help guide you. Just whatever you do, don't lose that thought!"

Maria giggled. "No pressure there." She was managing to stay above the ground, which was a good sign. Peter situated himself on Maria's back and then pulled up on the collar of her shirt. She soared up to the sky and then leveled out. Flying wasn't as  
hard as she thought it would be. By the time they were at the star, Peter was able to just rest. She dove down and up playfully before they entered the exploding star.

The star was so bright, the two kids squinted to protect their eyes. Soon, Neverland was in the distance. Peter smiled in relief and closed his eyes. The throbbing pain in his arm had worsened. He also felt like he could throw up. He knew he needed help  
soon.

Maria glided towards the ship and then made a sharp left, making Peter cling to her even tighter. She could tell he was getting worse just by listening to his breathing. She flew faster, trying her best to also fly smoothly.

Then, a cannon sounded. Peter twisted his head to the sound to find a cannonball hurdling towards them. "Maria, dive!" Peter yelled as he pressed down on her shoulders.

Maria did as he said and zoomed down to the water. The cannonball barely missed them. She grunted in frustration at her father shooting at them. Of course he didn't know she was the one flying. "Does this happen every time you fly around the ship?" she  
asked.

"Yeah," Peter replied with no emotion.

"I'm sorry." Maria kept dodging the cannonballs as she made her way to the camp.

In only a few seconds, they were at the camp. Maria tried to land softly but crashed into a totem pole. She grunted as they came to a full stop and laid there for a moment. The loud thud that resulted from the crash made several Indians step outside to  
see what happened. The chief quickly exited his teepee to see what made such a noice. Peter crawled off of Maria and flopped beside her.

Maria got up on all fours and glanced at her surroundings. The chief was approaching her, but then her eyes fixated on a blonde, shirtless boy who's as tied to another totem pole. "Holden?" Maria shouted.

He looked up, revealing a giant bruise on his face. "Hey, Maria," he said weakly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked while standing up and brushing off the sand.

"Let's just say, don't try to take an Indian with you to the mainland." He looked down at his bare, dirty feet and swallowed the lump in his throat. Dancing Moon hadn't even come to check on him. She acted like she didn't even know him.

Maria sprinted over to the pirate and began untying the ropes that held his wrists. Maria noticed his gloomy expression and frowned. "You okay?"

Holden looked the other way and shook his head no. "I'll tell you later."

Maria shrugged and freed him within a few seconds. He spun around quickly and rubbed his rope-burned wrists. "Thanks." He trudged over to the land bridge and wiped away a tear.

Hearing Peter's whimpers made Maria snap back into action. The chief was hovering over Peter and inspecting his wound thoroughly. Peter was white as a cloud; he had no color in his lips. Maria glanced back at Holden and knelt down beside Peter. "What  
happened?" the chief asked, concerned.

"He got shot on the mainland," Maria answered. "He jumped in the way so I wouldn't get hurt. I had to fly him here." She brushed through his hair tenderly, trying not to hurt him any worse.

"Ok, let's get him inside." The chief scooped him up in his strong arms and made sure to cradle his head. Maria stood up, not letting him out of her sight. Peter grimaced from the pain in his arm. He held it tightly to his side, not allowing it to move  
x. His breathing was still labored, and there was still a layer of sweat on his forehead.

The chief tried to sooth Peter and quickly got Tiger Lily to get the Medicine Woman.

Peter and the chief disappeared into the tent, leaving Maria alone outside. The flaps were closed and Peter was laid onto a cot. The chief went over to a shelving unit, pulling out a jar full of purple berries. Peter glanced quickly around the tent. He  
could tell that this was the tent specifically used for sick or injured people. He hated the idea that he was one of those people now. Usually, he had to deliver the injured, but this had a very different feeling.

The Medicine Woman came into the tent and eyeballed the boy. She quickly went to work, cleaning her hands in the basin. Grabbing the jar of berries from the chief, she mushed them into a liquid and crouched down next to the boy. She gently lifted his  
head up so he could drink the berries. "This will make you fall asleep so you won't be in pain while I work on you."

Peter didn't even hesitate to drink. He chugged it down within two minutes. He could already feel himself getting tired. Remembering something he had meant to tell Maria, he told the chief he wanted her to check on the boys for him.

The chief nodded and went outside to find the girl standing exactly where he left her.

She stretched her arms and legs, exhausted from the night in London. Running ten kilometers sure did wipe a person out. Once she saw the chief coming, she looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked, praying that he would be.

The chief placed his large hand on her shoulder. "Peter is strong. He should be fine," he responded gently. "Are you okay?"

Maria gazed down at the ground and rubbed her arm. "Yeah, just worried about Peter."

"That was a good thing you did. I'm proud of you."

Maria shook her head. "I was just helping him. I really didn't do anything for you to be proud of."

"Well, I'm proud that you helped someone. I don't think you give yourself enough credit."

Maria smirked. "No, I know what I did was good, but I can't be good. My dad would kill me if he found out I helped Peter. I don't even know what he would do to me if he found out we are dating." She looked up to find the chief's face solemn.

"Maria, do you think you can hide this forever?" The chief asked while crossing his arms and furrowing his brow.

"Well, I hope so." Maria muttered. "I can't let him find out about Peter and I! But I feel like everyday, one of my secrets gets out to someone. Luckily Holden promised not to tell. Otherwise, I would probably locked in the brig right now."

"Who?"

"The prisoner who tried kidnapping Dancing Moon."

"Oh, him. Yeah, that boy wouldn't admit why he attempted that, no matter how much we whipped him. Trust me when I say he won't tell your secret." He glanced at the totem pole the boy was originally tied to and then at Maria. "Where did he go?" Her face  
was red with anger. The chief could feel a scolding coming his way.

"You whipped him?" Maria shouted. "You jerk! He was only trying to run away with Dancing Moon because he loves her! He wants to get off the island a start a new life with her. And you know what, she loves him, too!" Maria breathed heavily to help calm  
herself. She then realized that she just yelled at an Indian chief. "I'm sorry," she mumbled quietly. "I just care about him."

The chief chuckled to himself. "I'm sorry for hurting your friend."

Maria rubbed the back of her neck, not sure what to say. "Thanks," she said at last. "Well, I guess I'll head out of here. Although, I don't know where I'm going to go. I can't go back to the ship; I'm not supposed to be home yet."

The chief smiled. "Peter asked if you would check on the boys for him."

Maria nodded yes and turned towards the exit. Remembering that she could fly, and feeling her legs ache with each step, she lifted herself off the ground with a single happy thought and zipped around the mountains until she landed roughly at Hangman's  
Tree.

* * *

 **Hi guys!**

 ****

 **I hope you liked this chapter. If you did, please leave a review. Looks like Maria might be turning good. I guess we'll have to wait and see.**

 ****

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Kacibubbles**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Inside the tree, Maria could hear fighting going on. She trudged to the door, not ready to have to break them up, and knocked softly. Waiting for only a few seconds, Slightly appeared in the doorway. His eyes showed that he as hopeful Peter was back.  
He did not want to be in charge anymore. The rest of the boys were panicking, thinking Peter was never coming back. "Oh, it's you," Slightly said dryly. He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms.

Maria frowned and feigned a hurt expression. "Gee, nice to see you, too!" she teased. She brushed past him as she entered the tree, scowling at the mess the boys had created. "Guys, have you ever heard of cleaning?" She stepped over some broken glass  
and plopped down on the bed.

Slightly closed the door and crossed his arms. "Have you seen Peter? He said he would be home a day ago," Slightly said. He looked tired and stressed. He was too young to be in charge of five other unruly boys. He couldn't figure out

Maria gulped. "Um, no," she stuttered. She didn't know about Peter's wish for her not to tell the boys, but she, too, didn't want them to worry.

Slightly dragged his hand down the face, aggravated that Peter lied to him. The rest of the boys gathered around Maria. They tilted their heads in confusion. "Why are you in his clothes?" asked Cubby while scratching his head.

Maria looked down at her clothes and cringed. "It's just a costume. I came from London, and I was playing with a little girl. She was dressed as Hook, and I was Peter." She stood up and made her way over to Peter's chair.

"Why were you in London?" Nibs questioned.

"Sleepover." There was an awkward silence for a few minutes. No one knew what to do or say.

"The ship! Maybe that's where Peter is!" Slightly bursted. "What if he got caught and is being tortured? We need to go find him!" He snatched his bow and fastened his quiver to his hip. "C'mon, guys. We can go get help from the Indians."

The boys followed suit and grabbed their weapons. Maria crossed her arms. "You know, instead of doing that,, why don't we make him a welcome home meal for him. It would be a nice surprise!" she coaxed. She couldn't let them find him wounded that badly.

"Um," Slightly faltered. "We don't know how to cook. Plus, Peter might be getting murdered by Hook at the moment. We need to get the Indians and save him."

"Guys, trust me. He's not on my dad's ship. My dad hasn't even come up with another plan to kill him yet." Maria picked up a toy block off the ground and tossed it up in the air. She thought she played that off pretty nicely. "Listen, Peter could be bringing  
a mother back with him, so we need to clean and make a nice meal."

Slightly rubbed his arm, unsure of what to think. "Are you sure he's okay?" he asked.

Maria nodded yes and then clasped the block in both of her hands. "Now, let's get started. If you guys go hunting for some meat, I'm pretty sure I could make a nice stew. I'll stay here and clean while your out, and then I will get cooking once you get  
back. Sound good?" She bit her bottom lip, praying that they would just comply and not argue. At last, her prayer was answered. They all shuffled themselves out the door.

Maria glanced at the now empty hideout and sighed. Flopping down on the bed, she covered her face with her hands and let herself take a breather. She needed to calm down. The whole day had been emotionally draining, and all she wanted to do was lie down  
and sleep. But she said she would clean, so she sat back up.

Little did she know, Tinkerbelle had just woken up from her beauty nap. She flew over to Maria and hovered in the air. She could tell something was on her chest. "What's wrong?" she asked as nicely as she could.

Maria jumped. She thought she was alone. "Oh, hey Tink," Maria mumbled. "I'm fine. Just got a lot on my mind." She rubbed her arm and looked at the floating fairy. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest and was smirking. "What?" Maria questioned.

"I know something's up! Spill."

Maria hesitated. "Okay, I'll tell you, but please don't tell the boys." Maria took in a breath and then fiddled with her own hands. "Peter's at the Indian camp. He got shot in London-"

"He got SHOT?" Tink cried. "How?"

"He threw himself in the way of the bullet so I didn't get hurt."

Without another word, she flew out of a hole in the tree and headed for the camp. Maria rubbed the back of her neck and look around the hideout. It was a mess, and she had to clean it all by herself. She cursed, stood up, and began the treacherous job  
of tidying up the place. She started by picking up all the toys and throwing them into the chest at the foot of the bed. Then she swept all of the broken glass outside. After that, she made all the beds, including Peter's.

But as she was making his bed, she noticed a coat lying in the corner of the room. Thinking that was odd, she curiously strolled over to it and picked it up. She then saw a name in the back of it. Emily. She gasped and covered her mouth, as if there would  
be someone listening to her. Studying it closer, she could remember being carried by her mother and clinging to the coat. Why did he have her mom's coat? It didn't belong to Peter. She tilted her head, trying to think of a good reason for him having  
it. Then, she noticed something very disturbing on the sleeves.

Blood.

She again gasped and threw it back down, not wanting to touch it. The red on the sleeves had clearly dried a long time ago, but it didn't make sense. She turned away from it, only to look back over her shoulder.

Then, a loud eruption of noise bursted through the door. The boys were back and carrying loads of meat in their arms. Maria quickly pulled herself together and exited the room with a fake smile on her face. "Back already?" Maria asked kindly.

"We were gone for an hour," Slightly mentioned. "And we killed a cow!"

Cubby shook his head vigorously. "I'm the one who got it!"

"No, we did it," the twins argued.

Then, before any fighting happened, Slightly piped up. "It was a team effort."

Maria kept her smile and nodded. "Well, I'm proud of all of you. Now, who can build a fire, 'cause we need to cook this meat."

"I can!" Nibs yelled while raising his hand. "I've been building fires for a while now. I'm practically an expert!" He lowered his hand and stepped forward.

"Great!" She walked towards him and continued to force a smile. "Will you do that for me?"

"Sure," he said. Then he headed outside again and started collecting wood. The other boys followed him and help get it going. Maria took a deep breath and dropped her smile. She didn't know what to even think about her mom's coat. The blood especially  
confused her. But she kept forcing herself to act like everything perfectly fine.

She also walked outside and sat down by the small fire. The boys had gathered around it and were chatting about the mother that they hoped was coming. Maria felt a little bad for planting that idea in their heads. But it kept them happy for the moment.

She sat down on the ground next to Slightly and brushed her hair back with her hand. Slightly came up with a brilliant idea to keep them busy. He decided to tell a story. It was about Peter, making Maria think about how injured he was when she left him.  
She slumped a little and waited for the meat to cook all the way.

About half way through Slightly's story, a cannon sounded, making all the kids fall silent. "That's not good," Maria mumbled. She looked up at the sky to see a small figure hurling towards the ground. She then glanced at the boys. "Any of you got a telescope?"

"Here," Nibs said while tossing a gold one in the the air.

Maria snatched it in her hand, extended it, and peered through it. She then searched the sky for the figure. "Is this my dad's?" she questioned.

"Yeah. It's really helpful to look for Peter."

Maria suddenly found what she was looking for. A knot formed in her stomach as she saw a brown-haired little girl caught in a net.

It was Ally.

Maria hopped to her feet and thought of Peter's sweet kiss in the alley. But she went nowhere. "Dang it!" she shouted as she began running toward the growth.

"What?" Slightly asked, confused.

"We have to go save my friend!" she said, still running. "C'mon!"

So the boys chased after Maria, not sure where their destination would be. After a bit, Maria became lost. She didn't know if she was going in the right direction or if she would ever find Ally. "Let's split up," she ordered. She had to save Ally. She  
knew she would be either hurt or dead, which made her search even harder.

Nibs had walked all the way to Mermaid Lagoon and was about to give up when he heard the small whimpering of a girl. He hesitated before speaking. "Hello?"

Then the girl answered. "Help, please," she yelled. She sounded as if she had been crying.

Nibs squinted to see the girl had crashed onto the center rock at the lagoon. "MARIA! Found her!"

Maria came sprinting through the trees and into the clearing. "Ally?" she shouted. "Where are you?"

"Over here," she said while sniffing up snot.

Maria looked at her and gasped. "Don't worry. I'm coming," she cooed. Then, she stepped into the cold, dark water. She pushed through the coldness and dove directly in. She climbed up on the pink rock to find Ally holding her wrist and sobbing.

Maria went straight to work. She drew her sword and cut the net that confined Ally. "Shh." she soothed. "It's okay. You're fine. I'm right here."

"Where am I?" Ally asked through her tears.

"You're in Neverland, Ally." Maria finished untangling all the ropes from the little girl, set her sword down on the rock, and helped her sit up. Ally looked up at Maria and wiped a tear away from her cheek. "What's the matter?"

"I hurt my wrist really badly," she whined.

Maria lifted Ally's wrist up carefully to find it was swollen, purple, and warm. "Yeah, its broken," Maria admitted. "Don't worry, though. I'll take you to the Indian camp, and they can fix you all up." Maria smiled at her little friend and gave her a  
tight squeeze. "What are you doing here?"

"Sasha and me got in a fight. She told me to grow up, and I didn't want to. So I came here."

Maria cringed. "Ally, I'm glad you're here, but-"

"Oh, I want to meet Peter!" she interrupted. "Where is he?" She stood up and gazed around, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't know," she lied. She stood up, still cradling Ally's wrist. Then, she reached back for her sword, but it was missing. She knew she put it right there; she wondered where it went. Then, it came to her. The mermaids.

Looking around at the water, she cautiously slid back into the cold and helped Ally down. She squealed as she entered it, but it actually felt really good to her wrist.

Maria began to help Ally swim across the lagoon but stopped short. A searing pain formed in her leg. She cringed but kept swimming, thinking it would pass. But it became worse and worse until she cried out in agony. "Ally, go!" she choked out. Ally obeyed  
and swam to shore. The pain had consumed all of Maria's thoughts, and she looked down to see what was causing it. All she saw was a cloud of red. She was bleeding.

Then, her leg went numb up to her hip. The pain subsided, but she couldn't move her leg at all. Quickly, she started kicking with her good leg. Swimming frantically, she tried to reach the sandy shore but was pulled underwater. Bubbles surrounded her  
as she was completely immersed in the freezing cold water. She reached up for the surface only to have both of her wrists shackled tightly against a pink rock. Her leg was still bleeding but paralyzed.

It all happened so fast that Maria didn't even realize what happened. She was trapped underwater. And she didn't even get a good breath. Looking cautiously down at her leg, she found that there were long, deep scratches that stretched from her knee to  
her ankle. She cringed. It was definitely going to take a while for that to heal.

Looking up, a blonde mermaid floated in front of her, sword in hand. Maria tried to break the chains' hold on her but failed. She looked into the creature's hazel eyes but did not cower.

"Hello, pirate," the mermaid snickered. "Comfy?" Maria turned her head and looked at the open water. "Oh, we're going to play the silent game, are we? Fine, don't talk. Just listen." The mermaid fiddled with the blade and came closer. "We know about you  
and Peter. And we're not happy about it! Peter is our guy. He can't like you and us!" She crossed her arms and pursed her lips. "Plus, me and the others wanted to perform a little experiment." She motioned to the other girls with her head. "We want  
to see if Peter still likes you once your dead." Maria slowly twisted her head towards the mermaid. Were they really going to kill her? Her through tightened in fear. "And if he does, he's yours. But of course you would be dead, so he would need someone's  
shoulder to cry on."

Maria was shocked to see a crowd had formed around her. "So what do you say? Let's make this quick." he mermaid yanked down on Maria's chin, but it didn't budge. Maria frowned and kept her bravado. "Wow, you're stronger than I thought!" The mermaid quickly  
whacked her in the stomach with her tail. Maria hunched forward in pain, loosening her clenched jaw. "But I'm smarter," the creature spat. She quickly pulled down on her chin with ease. Maria's lungs filled up water, fast. She had to get out of there.  
But no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't shake off the chains.

Slowly, the darkness crept up and nearly consumed all of her vision. And with that, the mermaid smacked Maria in the head with her tail, making her scream all the air out of her lungs.

Outside the waters stood all six Lost Boys and Ally. Nibs was calming her down as best as he could and the rest were waiting for Maria. They stood there for about a minute before seeing bubbles surface. Slightly immediately walked into the water to search  
for Maria. He found the cloud of blood and took in a deep breath before going under the surface. Then, finding the group of mermaids surrounding the rock, he frantically swam toward them only to be smashed against another rock. A red-haired mermaid  
wrapped her strong hand around his neck, purposely digging her sharpened nails into his neck. He wanted to scream for help but couldn't. He felt some blood seeping out of the back of his head. Then he was pulled away from the rock only to be slammed  
into it again. Slightly's vision became hazy. He could see Maria, but he had no idea how to get rid of the mermaid choking him to death.

Maria's eyes fluttered open to see her clothes being ripped from her body. She winced as talons tore her flesh. All that was left was her underwear. Her lungs ached for air, but she knew she would have to hang in there for a while. Little did she know,  
Slightly was coming to save her.

A mermaid shrieked in agony, her back arched, an arrow piercing through her stomach. She sank low to the lagoon's floor, revealing the battered Slightly. Maria's eyes widened with joy. Slightly had come to save her. Then she looked down, she was practically  
naked. That was embarrassing.

The other boys jumped in, stabbing whoever was in their way. It was a blood bath, and Maria watched the whole thing unfold before her eyes. But the darkness kept creeping into her vision. The world began to spin and move. She fought it, but it still threatened  
to overtake her.

The boys were still fighting off mermaids, frequently going up for air. They were desperately trying to get to Maria. They knew that Peter would kill them if anything happened to her. And, secretly, they kind of thought of Maria as a sister. They cared  
about her too much to let her drown.

After a while, the boys had scared off all the mermaids as and swam over to the girl. he was hanging from the chains and had her eyes shut. Slightly and Cubby worked on releasing Maria's wrists, while Nibs blew a deep breath into Maria's mouth. Tootles  
checked on her leg, and the twins assisted getting the chains away from her wrists.

Maria, however, was not helping at all. She was on the brink of unconsciousness and was unaware of her surroundings. But when Slightly wrapped his arms around her, her eyes fluttered open.

As soon as her head came into the air, she took in a much-needed gasp. Then, she coughed up about a gallon of water. Slightly treaded the water while assisting Maria. He swam slowly up to shore. Maria flopped weakly down on the sand, forgetting she was  
naked. She continued to cough and stared up at the sky.

"Maria?" Ally asked while crouching down beside her. "Maria, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Maria grasped at her aching head. "I'm fine, Ally," she mumbled. She really wasn't. She still couldn't feel or move her right leg, and she had a splitting headache. She watched as the other boys helped wipe the blood from Slightly's head. He whimpered  
every time his wound was touched. They all saved her. They all risked their lives for her. She cringed from the pain and closed her eyes.

Slightly noticed Maria's lack of clothing and searched for something warm to cover her with. He noticed a glimmer of light in the corner of his eye. A fairy. "Hey," he beckoned. "Grab Maria something to wear, please."

The fairy nodded and took off into the forest. Slightly looked at the other Lost Boys and the girl. "What's your name?" he asked.

The girl looked up with fearful eyes. "Ally Darling," she responded. "I'm Jane's granddaughter."

"Jane grew up?" he whined. "Why do our mothers always grow up?"

Ally stood up and headed toward the fox boy. "They can't help it, you know. They have to go home and grow up."

Slightly pouted and inspected Ally. She was cradling her wrist, which was even more purple than before. "What happened-?"

"I broke it," she interrupted. She knew what he was going to ask. "It really hurts."

"Oh, well, we'll go to the camp to get it checked out." He rested his hand on her shoulder and smiled. He knew she was probably scared and worried, and he also knew he was in charge of her until Peter got back. Then the fairy returned with a blanket hanging  
from her tiny arms. Slightly snatched it and thanked the creature. He then draped the dry cloth over Maria.

She smiled and glanced at Ally. Then, her face turned serious. "The crew will be coming after her," she mumbled. "You guys should go."

"What about you?" Ally asked.

"I can't walk. My leg is asleep." She began to sit up but was too weak.

"Mermaid venom," Slightly stated. "They must have released it from their nails into your leg."

"We're not leaving you," Ally interrupted. She glanced around at the forest. There was no sign of trouble. But then a branch cracked. She looked at Slightly with fearful eyes. The pirates were coming after her.

"I can't be seen with you," Maria told. "They'll kill you if they think you did this to me."

Slightly jerked his head to the sound and back at Maria. "C'mon," he whispered. He yanked her up to her feet and caught her under the arms. "Someone grab her feet," he ordered. Cubby ran to his aid and picked up her feet carefully. Together, they carried  
her next to a tree and sat her down carefully. Maria rested her head against the coarse bark and closed her eyes, letting herself have a break from being a hero. She let Slightly cover her up again and brush her hair away from her face.

Earlier that day, Holden was given orders to find the person Hook had shot down. And even though he wished to curl up in his hammock and sleep, he followed the orders. He thought that maybe if he successfully brought the person back, Hook might actually  
start treating him like a real member of the crew. He typically was the one who had to run all over the ship to do all kinds of errands for Hook. This was his chance to be recognized.

Yes, he was a cabin boy; however, he was a little old to be one. So really, he was a servant. He especially felt unimportant today. He had been whipped, beaten, and practically tortured. But that wasn't the worst part. He truly was hurt by Dancing Moon.  
She totally ignored him at the camp and hadn't checked on him even when she could've. He balled his fists up while stomping through the forest. And then he felt a tear slide down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away but realized he was alone. He could  
cry; he could let all of his frustrations go at that moment. So, when the next tear came, he let it fall onto the ground. And before he knew it, he was sobbing.

Stopping to take a breath, he felt a hand on his back. He winced from the pain and whipped around to see Dancing Moon standing there, beautiful as ever. "Holden," she cooed. "Oh, Holden!" She threw her arms around his neck and embraced him.

He, on the other hand, didn't want her sympathy. Pushing her away, he stared into her brown eyes. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be pretending that I don't exist?" he spat.

"Excuse me?" she asked, taking a step back.

"You completely ignored me at the camp. I saw you talking with the others. I saw you praising your fiancé. You didn't even look my way!"

"Holden, I couldn't really be seen talking to you," she explained. "Plus, I didn't want my father to be suspicious of me. If he found out about us, he would disown me!"

"I get that you don't want to be disowned, but you could've checked on me when the coast was clear!"

"I was protecting myself!"

"Oh, yeah? And who was protecting me, huh? I had to wait for a thirteen-year-old to save me." She looked down, ashamed. "Look, I act tough, but…" he paused, thinking of the best thing to say. "I've lived a hard life. I need someone in my life to love  
me unconditionally. And clearly you don't!"

She reached out to touch him, but he drew back. "I love you," she finally said. "I love you so much."

"Just not enough to stand up for me." He walked away and crossed his arms defensively, leaving the heartbroken Indian behind.

"Holden, please listen to me! I'm sorry for not checking on you, but-!"

"Don't waste your breath."

Dancing Moon faltered. She didn't know what to say. "And what about you?" she spat eventually. "Would you stand up for me in front of Hook?"

Holden swallowed the lump in his throat and spun on his heels. "I won't now." He headed back in the direction that the person crashed in and broke down in tears. He knew he did the right thing, but a deep part of him wanted to run back to her and apologize.  
She was the only person he truly loved, but now she was out of his life. Sobbing into his hands, he walked the rest of the way to Mermaid Lagoon.

When he arrived, he tried to pull himself together and straightened his shirt. Hearing chatting among children, he knew he found more than what he needed. He found the Lost Boys, too! Feeling the slightest bit better he took a step onto the sandy shore  
but was pulled back into the forest. He landed hard against the earth. Looking up to see who got him on the ground, he frowned when he saw seven crew mates around him. "Nice work, servant," one sneered. "You led us right to where we needed to be!"

Holden was speechless. "What-what are you doing here?" he stammered.

"Oh, don't be an idiot! We were never going to let you take the credit for taking the girl back to Hook." Holden just looked puzzled at the pirate. "Now, get out of our way!"

Holden submissively scooted backwards, allowing the pirates to pass him. He sat there, stunned at what had just occurred. This was definitely the worst day of his life, and no one even cared.

The kids had gathered in a circle to come up with a plan. Ally, still holding her wrist, had her back facing the forest. Nibs was trying his best to nurse it, but he didn't know what to do. Slightly was arguing with Cubby on what to do with Maria. "We  
can't leave her!" Slightly yelled.

"She would be a great distraction for the pirates! We could escape while they take care of her!" Cubby explained

"No! We can't leave her until we know she's safe! Peter would slit our throats if she died while we ran away like cowards."

"Ok, then what idea do you have?"

"I'm still thinking!"

Suddenly, two big hands grabbed Ally by the shoulders and threw her against a tree. She screamed in fear as she hit the bark.

Slightly charged at the pirate and drew his bow back. "Leave her alone," he demanded. The pirate twisted his body and backhanded slightly across the cheek. Slightly went stumbling into the shallow water of the lagoon. He whimpered from the pain in his  
cheek, but it was replaced with something much worse. A foot kicked him in the head, sending a pulsing pang through his skull. He gripped his aching head, which was a stupid mistake. Hands snatched his arms and pulled them behind his back. Two cold  
metal cuffs were locked onto his wrists, and two more were locked onto his ankles.

He was then pulled up by the hair and gagged. Looking around at the others, he found the same had been done to everyone but Ally and Nibs. Nibs was standing defiantly in front of Ally, protecting her from harm. Knife in hand, he swung at the pirates,  
but they knocked it across the sand. "Run!" he commanded.

Ally did as he said and took off into the forest. Holden, still sitting, never saw the girl coming and tripped her on accident. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said gently. "You okay?"

Ally stood up and backed up against a tree. "Please, don't hurt me!" she begged. Holden also stood up but was shoved back down to the ground. The pirates surrounded the girl and reached for her wrists with open cuffs.

Just then, Nibs knocked her out of the way as the cuffs were placed on his wrists. He smirked at the pirate, who, in turn, scowled. "Don't touch her!" Nibs shouted. "She hurt her wrist."

The pirate laughed. "Like I care." He pulled out another pair and latched them onto Ally's frail wrists. Nibs pouted and looked down at the ground. What he thought would be a heroic moment failed. They were both gagged and had their feet chained. Ally  
whimpered and cried, but none of the pirates payed attention. She felt alone. She knew at that moment that coming here was a mistake. Now she was a prisoner.

"Guys," Holden piped up. "Lets just leave the girl. Hook will be happy with the boys." He stepped between the pirate and Ally, turning to take a look at the girl's wrist.

"See, this is why you can't be trusted with big tasks like this. You're too soft." The pirate pressed Holden against a tree and pinned his arms to his sides. "And Hook will never trust you again when he hears about you and that Indian girl."

Holden froze. "You heard all that?" he asked nervously.

"Oh, yeah. The next one in handcuffs will be you once he hears about that. It's not personal. It's just business." Then, the pirate threw Ally over his shoulder with the rest of the boys. And they made their way to the ship, leaving Holden behind. He  
stood there, knowing that he never would be able to escape his situation. He would forever be treated like dirt. His lip began to quiver, his hands trembled. He sank down to the ground and let the tears fall again. Then, he heard a small whimper come  
from behind a tree. His curiosity got the better of him and he cautiously made his way to the sound. He drew his sword and rounded the corner. His eyes widened in horror as he saw Maria covered in scratches and several deep cuts in her leg. "Hi,"  
she mumbled weakly.

"Maria, what happened?" he asked while crouching down in front of her. He immediately took his shirt off and began to wrap her leg with it. The blood quickly saturated the dingy, white shirt.

"I tried to be a hero." She forced a smile, trying to act like everything was fine.

Holden touched her forehead gingerly. It was freezing.. "You need help. I gotta get you to Hook." He shimmied one arm underneath her legs and the other behind her neck. "C'mon." He lifted her carefully and cradled her in his strong arms. Beginning to  
walk, Maria rested her head on his shoulder.

She noticed his eyes were pink and puffy. "Have you been crying?" She tried lifting her head up, but couldn't.

"No." Holden glanced down at the shivering girl and gulped. Her couldn't lie to her. "Well, I've just had a rough day. But don't worry. Everything will work out." He forced a smile. "At least, I hope it does."

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it." He continued to walk through the dense forest. "Let's just get you home."

Maria snuggled up in his arms as they strolled through the woods. And before she knew it, she was fast asleep, exhausted from the day.

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 **Hope you liked this chapter! Please Review! I might be updating chapter 2 later on. I'll keep you posted. :-)**

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 **Kacibubbles**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Just as the sun set beyond the horizon, Hook was sitting at his desk outside. He relaxed into his cushy chair and began to plot out his next plan. If he could wound the girl he shot down, Peter would have to try to help her. Then, Hook could kill Peter  
while his back was turned to him. It was a perfect plan.

He glanced at the navy sky, sighing a breath of relief. The plan would work; it had to work. Peter was heroic for his own praise, so he would jump at the chance to return her to her family. He thought about running his sword through Peter's waist and  
smiled.

But then, the smiled turned into a frown. He hadn't seen Peter all day. Knowing Peter never missed a day of fighting them, he turned his head to his first mate. "Smee," he began, pausing to take a swig of whiskey, "have you seen Pan?" He rested his hook  
on the table.

Smee, who was whittling something, didn't look up from his work. "I thought we were shooting at him earlier."

"Yeah, I thought it was him at first, but I think it could've been someone else. The person had longer hair." He crossed his arms, trying to ponder where the boy was.

Then he heard his name being called from the beach. Fixating his gaze on seven pirates, he smiled and stood up. There was a kid on every pirates shoulder. Hook's eyes brightened at that sight. He was just expecting the one girl, but now he had the Lost  
Boys, too. His plan was definitely going to work now!

The pirates, one by one, tossed the kids off their shoulders. Each of them grunted as they hit the deck. Ally looked around, both scared and intrigued. Then, black boots approached her. She lifted her chin up as high as she possibly could, trying to see  
who the pirate was. Then, she saw it.

A hook.

Hook was not what she pictured him like. She always imagined him as like the cartoon, but he had short hair, a combed down mustache, and wore more black.

"Hello, miss," Hook said gently. "Men, untie her." The pirates followed his orders untied her gag. She was picked up by the shoulders and propped up. The boys, however were left on the ground. "My apologies, miss. The crew isn't used to capturing young  
ladies." Hook flashed a handsome smile. "Now, what's your name?"

"Ally."

"Oh, that's pretty!" Hook knelt down in front of her and smiled, a hint of evil showing through.

"What do you want, Mr. Hook?" Ally questioned bravely. She didn't allow herself to appear scared, even though she was terrified on the inside.

Hook tucked a strand of hair behind Ally's tiny ear with his hook. "I wanted you, of course." She cowered a little, realizing she was in true danger. "You see, I needed something to draw Peter here. And when he comes to rescue you, I'll kill him."

"You've tried that before. It didn't work." Ally stared into his cold eyes, trying to do what Maria would do.

"Aye. It didn't work. But I hadn't stabbed anyone before." He reached for his sword but halted when he heard muffled protesting from all of the boys. He twisted his head to the sound and motioned for them to be silenced. "Don't worry, I'll hurt all of  
you, too." The boys shut up, except Slightly. The same pirate that clobbered him before stomped on his head again. He whimpered in pain and then went silent. Ally turned her head to check on him, but her chin was yanked by Hook so she had to look  
at him. "So let's make this quick." He raised his hook up in the air, but was cut off by Nibs.

"NO!" he screamed. Nibs had shaken his gag off his mouth "Leave her alone! She didn't do anything to you." Nibs glanced at Ally and then at Hook. "Hurt me instead."

"You'd sacrifice yourself for her?" Hook asked. He noticed the desperateness in his eyes. "Sounds like someone has a crush on you," he said to Ally. He lowered his hook down and laughed.

"What? No I don't." Nibs tried to act cool but failed. He did like Ally. She was very pretty and brave.

"Yeah, right." Hook was going to threaten Ally but became distracted by the sight of Holden carrying Maria. His mouth dropped open. He was speechless. "Take them to the brig," Hook stumbled. Without another glance, he ran off the ship and onto the beach.  
Holden gulped as Hook approached him. "What happened?" he asked nervously.

Maria stirred a little but remained asleep. Holden looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. "I found her at Mermaid Lagoon. I guess she was attacked by them," he whispered.

Hook grazed Maria's scratches on her leg with his hand. He couldn't believe she got hurt. Why was she even there? She should've been in London. Not wanting to wake her, he motioned for Holden to follow him. Walking back onto the ship, he quickly made  
his way into his room.

Holden glanced at the girl he tripped earlier that day on the way inside. She was being thrown over the shoulder of a burly pirate. She was in tears and blubbering. He averted his eyes, not wanting to make eye contact.

When Hook pushed open the doors to his cabin, Holden widened his eyes at the lavish room. It was the nicest place he had ever stepped foot in by far. The canopy bed had white, sheer curtains, blocking off the bed. Hook pulled back the drapes, and Holden  
set Maria gently onto the red comforter. He then looked around, wanting to take something for himself.

There was a nightstand sitting next to the bed, and on it was a gold pocket watch. He attempted to slip it into one of his pockets but was startled by Hook's speaking. "So you think the mermaids did this to her?" he asked while checking out her leg. Then  
he searched for the first-aid kit, which was always missing.

Holden crossed his arms. "Well, I found her near there," he answered. Walking closer to Hook, he frowned at the fact that Maria got hurt. Though they hadn't gotten along for a while, he had grown fond of her. And he didn't like seeing her covered in deep  
scratches.

"Will you find the first-aid kit?" Hook asked. "I'm going to get her some dry clothes."

Holden nodded and exited the room, slipping the gold pocket watch in his back pocket. Fiddling with it, her ran all over the ship until seeing it in the mess. He picked it up and noticed blood on the table it was on. Someone had gotten in a fight, and  
someone lost-badly.

He then walked back to the fancy cabin and bursted through the doors. "Got it!" he announced while walking over to the bed. Hook quickly took it from his and dug around for some ointment. Once he found it, he smeared it on Maria's leg and then wrapped  
it tightly with cloth. She was still asleep but was now wearing a long-sleeve peasant blouse. It was clearly Hook's because it was too large on her.

Seeing that Hook was finishing up, Holden began to excuse himself. But Hook quickly stopped him. His hook wrapped around Holden's arm and turned his body to face him. "Hey," Hook started. "Thanks for saving Maria. You're more helpful than I thought."

Holden gaped at the complement. "Uh, you're welcome," he stuttered. Hook had never said thank you to him. He typically just sent him away when he was done assisting him.

"Would you mind watching Maria for me. I have to figure out what I'm going to do with those Lost Brats."

"Sure." Holden shoved his fists into his pockets and sat down next to the sleeping girl in a chair made for a king. It was way softer than he expected. He sank down into it and smiled. All of his worries melted away for a while, and he enjoyed the good  
life.

Hook walked through the doors of his cabin seeing that his daughter would be fine.

After a few hours of waiting, Holden's mind wandered to the little girl. She was probably hungry, at least he was getting hungry. Not being able to shake her sad face from his mind, he decided to help her out.

He moved into the kitchen and made her a PB&J sandwich. Then he headed all the way down to the brig and walked across the room until he found the girl in her cell. "Hey," he said gently. "I brought you something to eat."

Ally looked at the pirate. "Is it poisoned?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Holden chuckled a little. "No." Ally hesitated to move. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." She quickly crawled over to him and reached through the vertical and horizontal bars. Taking a bite of the sandwich, she sat back down. Her wrist was still  
hurting, but she didn't care anymore. She knew she would die tomorrow, and consumed all of her thoughts.

Holden rested against the cell, watching the scared girl eat. "What's your name?"

"Ally,"

Holden furrowed his brow. This girl was too innocent to be in there. She didn't seem like she would even hurt a fly. Why did Hook have to do this to her! Why not someone else?

He looked on the other side to find battered and bruised Lost Boys huddling close together. They looked cold. Holden even felt bad for them. Slightly was holding his head and sniffling. "You okay?" Holden asked him.

"No," Slightly murmured.

Holden walked over to the other cell. "What's wrong?"

"We're all going to die, Peter's missing, and my head is throbbing."

"I can get you an ice pack, if you want."

"You would help us? Why?" Slightly scrunched up his nose.

"I know how it feels to be stuck in a bad situation. It's not fun." He began to walk away but stopped. "Anybody else need anything?"

"I need a brace for my wrist!" Ally piped up.

"Okay. I'll be back." And with that, he took off up the stairs and found the things he needed. But on his way back, he ran into Hook, literally. "Oh, sorry!" he said.

"What are you doing?" Hook asked, crossing his arms.

"Um, I, uh, was taking these things to the prisoners. The little girl is really scared so I wanted to make her more comfortable."

Hook frowned. "Oh, why don't we get her a bed, too!"

Holden didn't pick up on the sarcasm. "Really?"

"NO!" Hook knocked all the things out of Holden's arms, sending ice all over the floor. "We don't want them to be comfortable! We want them to suffer. Now, I gave you a very simple job. Go take care of Maria."

Holden, who was shaking slightly in fear walked back into the room and plopped down in the chair.

Peter's eyes fluttered open. His arm was throbbing, the room seemed to be spinning, and his left side felt warm. Turning his head to the heat, he found the wood stove holding a small fire. He tried to stretch his arms but realized one couldn't move at  
all. Panicking a little, he uncovered the thick blanket from his arms. What he found made him a little uneasy. His entire upper arm was wrapped in a soft cloth, and a sling was tied around his neck and lower arm. Peter glanced around nervously. He  
was alone in the tent, and it was nighttime. He began to get up but stopped when he saw a large shadow outside of the tent.

As the large black silhouette approached him, Peter could tell who the shadow belonged to. It was a small girl's shadow. Hope swelled up in Peter, wishing it was Maria. But Tiger Lily appeared in the doorway instead. "Hi," she said sweetly. "How's your  
arm?"

Peter smiled weakly, hiding his disappointment. "It hurts."

"I bet. The bullet fractured your bone." She knelt down beside him and brushed his hair with her fingers. "You do realize that you won't be flying or fighting anytime soon, right?"

Peter frowned. "I have to be able to fight. I never know when the pirates will attack next."

"Peter, you really can't fight. Your arm-"

"My arm is fine."

"It's broken!" She flicked it to prove her point. He cringed from the stinging pain in his bone. "If you can't handle that, how will you handle a real blow to the arm?"

"I'll be-"

"No, Peter! You won't be fine!" Tiger Lily crossed her arms and let out a puff of air. "You have to stay away from the ship. I don't want you to get hurt worse."

"How many times have I lost against Hook?" he asked, playfully raising his eyebrow.

"None."

"Okay, so why are you worried?"

"Because you fighting arm is injured."

Peter knew he had beaten. He tried to get comfy but couldn't. His arm was throbbing too much. Tiger Lily watched him intently, ready to help him with whatever he needed. "Would you like something to eat?" she asked.

Peter nodded and watched as she prepared some food. The tent fell silent. She was busy at work, and Peter didn't know what to say. Last time they were together, they got in a big argument because he liked Maria. His body ached all over, making him concentrate  
more on Tiger Lily.

She could almost feel him staring at her. Hurrying, she poured some already cooked broth into a bowl and put some noodles in it as well. Then, she rested the bowl on the stove to let it heat up.

Kneeling back down to him, she smiled at the boy. "It'll be ready in a minute. Do you mind if I clean your arm while we wait?"

"Sure," Peter said hesitantly. He was afraid that it would hurt to clean, but he knew it had to be done.

Tiger Lily immediately went to work. She dampened a rag and then unwrapped his arm. Every time she blotted his wound, he grimaced and flinched. It was super sore and bruised. She felt bad for causing him more pain, but she needed to keep it clean.

Once she was done, Peter's energy had been drained. He simply closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. Tiger Lily fed him all his soup and watched him fall back asleep. She cuddled in on the same bed. That way, if he needed anything, she would  
be there to help. But as she gazed at him, jealousy grew inside of her. Maria didn't deserve a hero like him. Peter also didn't need to waste his time with her. It wouldn't last! They weren't anything alike! So she settled in and eventually fell asleep.

At sunrise, the chief came in to check on Peter. Seeing his daughter was cuddling close to him, he chuckled, startling the two kids awake. They both looked at each other and then at the chief.

"Sleep well?" he joked.

Peter burst into laughter, making Tiger Lily giggle. "Yeah," Peter replied when the giggle fest died down.

"How does your arm feel?" his tone was more serious.

"Well, considering it's broken, not too good. If I try to move it, it throbs."

"Let me take a look," the chief said while kneeling and unwrapping his arm. It was stained red from his blood, and the bruise was the size of a softball. "You are seriously injured, Flying Eagle. You must refrain from using it, or it will never heal.  
You cannot-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I can't fight." Peter waved his hand dismissively at the chief. He didn't want to be told it repeatedly; it depressed him too much.

"You are welcome to stay here, if you want. We can provide you food, shelter, and safety." The chief

"Nah. I gotta get back to the boys." Peter sat straight up and ripped the rest of the blanket off of him. He pushed himself up to his feet and stretched his neck. Seeing Tinkerbell sleeping on a pillow beside his bed, he woke her up. Every joint in his  
body ached, especially the ones in his arm.

"I really think you should stay here. We can protect you."

"Thanks, but I really have to let the boys know I'm still alive." He strolled past the chief and headed outside. The air was sweet and cool on his face. A light breeze swirled around his heels, making Peter smile.

As he began his journey home, he was confronted by a few Indian children. They all looked at him with eyes full of worry. He hated being seen as wounded. It was just a broken arm. But then again, he hadn't ever had that bad of an injury before. The worst  
thing he needed checked was his head after a bad fight. And even then he could still fly and fight.

Peter headed down the land bridge and then into the forest. The was hidden by a sky full of clouds, casting a gloomy shadow over the island. Walking almost felt like a punishment to Peter. He wanted to fly! But his body wouldn't allow him. He hated feeling  
gravity weigh him down. Plus, it took so much longer to get places.

About three hours later, he finally made it to Hangman's Tree. There was a dying fire with burnt meat hanging above it. Quickly, he stomped it out with his foot. He thought that was odd but continued to enter the house. When he opened the door, his stomach  
felt uneasy by the sight of it empty. Something was wrong, but he didn't know what happened to the boys.

Making his way to Mermaid Lagoon, he found a trace of blood on a fallen branch. Peter bent down and inspected it. Dry. Then he noticed more heading in the direction of Cannonball Cove. Quickly, he sprinted all the way to the ship. Still more blood was  
on the beach. Someone had been bleeding. "Tink, do you know what happened?" he whispered, trying to keep quiet so no one else heard him.

"No," she answered. "I left Maria at the house, and she sent the boys to go hunting. They were going to make a nice meal for you, but I don't know what happened after that."

"Crap," Peter mumbled to himself. He didn't know what to do. If they were on the ship like he expected, he would likely die trying to save them. But they would definitely die if he didn't try. So he decided to go onto the Jolly Roger. Clenching his fists,  
he began to stroll towards the ship.

Tinkerbell was shocked. He was super brave to be going on the ship while wounded.

Peter knelt on the bridge, trying his best not to be seen. He could see everything, however. The boys and one girl was tied to the mast. Peter had seen that girl before, but from where?

Pirates were guarding the kids, swords in hand. Ally was in the middle of the boys, giving her a great view of the bridge. She thought she saw a red feather moving but decided to ignore it. But it moved again! She knew who that belonged to. "Peter!" she  
squealed.

Peter heard his name. He gulped and sank lower, praying that the pirates didn't hear that. But of course they did. Hook, who was up on the poop deck, ordered some of the crew to search for him.

Peter knew that he had to get in and get out quickly. Otherwise, he and the kids would be dead.

Footsteps sounded across the ship, and one pair was headed directly for him! Peter had nowhere to hide or run. The mission just got ever harder. Spotting the ocean in the corner of his eye, Peter dove into the water. His wound stung from the salt, almost  
making him cry out in pain. But his pain was immediately unimportant when he heard crying from the little girl.

Peter went underwater quickly and swam to the side of the ship. There, he clung to a rope ladder and pulled himself out of the water. He hated not being able to fly. He could've already gotten out of there with the kids. And climbing with one hand was  
extremely difficult

He was almost at the top of the ladder when Hook greeted him. "Hello, boy," he said while putting his hook against Ally's throat.

Peter stared up fearfully at Hook. He mustered up the little bit of his courage and climbed up onto the deck. "Let her go," Peter commanded.

Hook noticed Peter's arm and smiled. "Oh, alright."

He threw Ally to the ground, purposely dragging his hook along her chest as she fell. She wailed in pain and watched as Peter came running towards her. "Don't, Peter!" she told. "He will kill you!"

Peter ignored her request and ran to her aid. He slid onto his knees and then tried to sooth the crying girl. "It's okay. You'll be fine." He began to help her up with his good arm, but a pulsating pain ran trough his other arm. His sling had been cut,  
making his arm fall limply to his side. Peter held in a scream and continued to help the girl.

"PETER!" Slightly yelled. Hook was about to stab Peter in the heart, but luckily he dodged the blow.

Peter felt a bead of sweat slip down his forehead. He turned to Hook, blocking him from Ally. He cradled his arm and puffed out his chest. "What's wrong, Peter?" Hook asked, feigning concern. "Did someone get hurt?" He yanked on Peter's broken arm and  
pulled him close. That time Peter did whimper, but he never cowered. "Well, this makes it easier for me!" He tossed Peter onto a metal grate and then motioned two pirates to grab him.

Peter yelped as he hit the floor and cringed as the two pirates grabbed his arms and pulled him up to his knees. One had some rope in his hand and began to tie Peter's wrists together behind his back. He struggled to get free, but the other pirate punched  
Peter in the arm. He bit his lip, trying to prevent himself from crying but failed. The pain was too great. He couldn't do it; he couldn't save them. He needed a miracle.

His trapped wrists were then tied to the grate by a connecting rope. Hook approached him and lifted his chin in with his hook. "I hate you," Peter spat.

"I hate you, too," Hook said while kicking Peter in the stomach. Peter hunched forward in agony. His breathing was labored and his eyes were squeezed tightly. He had lost. There was no way to escape.

Hook then ripped away his bandage on his arm, causing more blood to pour out. Then, he stuck his hand right on the wound and squeezed, causing Peter to cry out in pain. He couldn't suffer any longer.

"I surrender," Peter said at last. "Just release the kids, please." He hung his head low, knowing what he said meant. He was going to die the most painful death Hook could come up with. But he couldn't fight or handle anymore pain at that moment.

Hook smirked. "Wow! I thought you would last longer than that. Guess you aren't indestructible as you thought." Hook struck him in the head with his hook, making Peter collapse on his broken arm. He sobbed, and his body shook. "Oh, and the boys will not  
be set free."

Ally watched the whole thing unfold before her eyes. She never realized how cruel Hook really was. She had to save Peter, the boys, and herself. Thinking quickly on her feet, she charged Peter and yanked his knife from his belt. "Stay away!" she yelled  
as she swung the dagger towards Hook.

Hook laughed. "Really? You're going to save him?"

"Why can't I?"

"Because you're a little girl!"

Those words cut like a knife, but they also gave her the strength to slice Hook on the knee. It wasn't a deep cut, but it would do. He didn't show any signs of being injured, though. He only scowled. "Nice try," he said, quickly taking a swipe at her.  
She moved out of the way and then ran to the boys. Sawing at the ropes that confined them, Cubby winced, thinking he had been stabbed. But Ally stayed away from his skin. Slightly encouraged her to keep going.

Peter watched as Hook approached the little girl. He was about to tell her to move, but his vision was blocked by several pirates. He looked around to see he was surrounded.

Ally continued to work on the ropes, not realizing Hook was directly behind her. The boys all shouted for her to move, but it was too late. Ally's shoulder was torn by his hook. She kept going, though she really wanted to cry. Finally, the boys were freed,  
and Ally handed the knife over to Slightly.

Slightly sprinted around Hook and all the way to the circle of pirates. He stabbed all of them in the leg so they couldn't get him. Then, he focused only on Peter. He was whimpering quietly to himself. He was in an unimaginable amount of pain. Slightly  
eventually got the ropes off him and rolled him onto his back. Peter gasped and cradled his arm again. "Can you walk?" Slightly asked.

Peter didn't respond. He was numb to his surrounding. His thoughts were consumed with pain.

"Peter! Can you walk?"

"I think so," he whispered weakly.

"Okay, c'mon." Slightly assisted Peter up and helped him get to the exit. Then Peter felt his legs become weak. His arm was still oozing blood, and he was running out of the red stuff. He gripped Slightly's shoulder and leaned against him. "Guys, lets  
go!" Slightly yelled over his shoulder.

The boys and Ally all made their way to the exit. Peter then fell to the bridge unconscious and rolled down it all the way. The kids chased after him and decided to take him back to the camp; he wasn't looking too good. They got there safely and were  
protected from further harm.

* * *

 **Hi guys!**

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 **I just want to say a huge thank you to those who wrote me reviews! I love knowing people are liking my story! I tried to get this one posted quickly for you!**

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 **Love,**

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 **Kacibubbles**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"What am I doing wrong?"

Hook took a swig of whiskey and slumped down into his desk chair. "No matter what, I can't kill that boy!"

Holden, who was still in the room, shrugged. "Maybe you should just give up," Holden suggested. "You always get so upset when you lose. You could just go back to the mainland and be happy."

"But I was so close this time!" Hook slammed his fist into the desk. "He surrendered. He's never done that before. If that little girl hadn't distracted me, he would be dead!" Hook fiddled with his flask. "You're young," he said while eyeballing him.  
"You have any good ideas in that brain of yours?"

"You're asking me?" Holden asked in shock. Hook nodded. "Well, I would try to make it simple. Like, why don't you just slit his throat in his sleep? He would be vulnerable and easy to kill." He dabbed Hook's knee with a wet cloth and then put a large  
bandage on it.

"It's not a bad idea, but I want him to suffer! Slitting his throat would make him die in a minute!"

"How about walking the plank?"

"Tried that."

Holden was stumped. "I don't know then."

Hook took another swig of whiskey. He was truly depressed after that loss. Holden heard a knock at the door. "Come in," he said, standing up and sitting back down in his chair. Smee entered with breakfast for everyone in the cabin, including Holden. "How  
is Maria?" he asked, concerned.

"Still been sleeping," Holden stated. He fiddled with the gold pocket watch as Smee delivered them their food. Seeing that he had made him scrambled eggs and hash browns, Holden stuck his fork in it and shoved it into his mouth. He hadn't had a nice meal  
that that in years. He mainly relied on cereal for all his nutrition. What else could a poor boy eat?

Just as Smee sat Maria's food on the nightstand, she began to stir. Holden perked up. He was starting to worry that she would never wake up.

As she fluttered her eyes open, searing pain formed in her leg. She wasn't happy about the pain, but at least it was awake. She twisted her head and saw Holden sitting in a chair located near the bed. But hearing footsteps to the right, she turned her  
head that way. Hook was walking up to her. "Morning, sweetheart!" Hook said, attempting to be happy. "How are you feeling?"

Maria pushed herself up to sit. "My leg hurts, but I'm fine." Her mind flashed back to the cloud of blood that formed in the water around her leg. She cringed from the memory and then smiled at her dad.

"Well, Holden's going to take care of you. I have to go come up with another plan to kill Peter. Love you," he said while kissing her on the forehead.

As soon as the door closed, Holden jumped on the bed and crawled over to her. "You need to know something," he started. His eyes and tone were serious. "Peter is really hurt."

"Holden, I know," Maria interrupted.

"No you don't. Peter's arm is really bad! And your dad nearly killed him."

"What? When?"

"An hour ago. He was trying to save the Lost Boys and a girl named Ally. They all got away, but Peter ended up unconscious. I think they went to the Indian camp."

A knot formed in Maria's stomach. Peter got hurt, and she didn't know for sure where Ally was. "Holden, you have to take me to the camp." And before he could protest, Maria spoke again. "I have to know Ally's alright. And I know you got whipped last time  
you were there, but I can't walk by myself."

Holden sighed. "Maria, I'm sure she's okay," he said calmly. Although, he didn't know that for a fact. "Plus, you need to rest."

"Holden, I won't rest until I know she's safe. Now, please take me!" Maria scooted herself close to the edge of the bed.

"Please don't make me." His voice cracked a little.

Maria knew this was more than being whipped. Something else was wrong. "What's really going on?"

Holden ran his fingers through his hair, not wanting to talk about yesterday. But he divulged what was wrong to her eventually. "I got in a fight with Dancing Moon, and she hates me. And I am not too happy with her, either."

Maria frowned. "You and her are fighting? But you guys have been dating for two years!"

"Trust me, nothing's going to make us get back together."

Silence fell upon the room. Maria didn't know what to say to make him feel better. He looked so down.

Holden didn't know if he should take her to the camp. But finally, he made up his mind. "Come on," he said sweetly.

Picking her up in his arms, she smiled brightly at him. "Thanks. You're a true friend."

Holden just nodded and strolled of the ship. Hook was too busy to notice them leaving, so it made their journey relatively easy. They were both thankful for that. Life had gotten crazy in the past couple of days, and they needed an easy one.

Maria practically leaped out of Holden's arms when they arrived. She couldn't wait any longer to see Ally. He literally had to restrain her from walking. The boys crowded around her and Holden, shouting a multitude of questions at her. Maria shushed them  
and tried to calm them down. "Guys, where's Ally and Peter?" she asked.

"In the medical tent," Nibs responded. "Ally's fine, but she's tired. Peter, on the other hand, is not doing so well. He passed out from bleeding too much."

"How's your leg?" Slightly asked.

"Um, I can't walk, but I can feel and move it again!" She smiled as Holden helped her stand up. He supported her by wrapping an arm around her. Maria took a wobbly step forward and then another. It took a while, but she did manage to get all the way to  
the medical tent. Inside, she found Ally zonked out next to the unconscious Peter. Her wrist was in a brace to stabilize it. Maria dropped down onto her knees and crawled over to her. "Ally," she whispered, shaking her carefully. Ally woke up instantly  
and sat up.

"Maria!" Ally threw her arms around Maria's neck and pulled her into a tight hug. "Are you okay? I was so worried about you!"

Maria laughed. "I'm alright, Ally. Are you okay?"

"Well, I have a large scratch on my chest and shoulder, but I'm okay. Hook is really mean, by the way."

"I'm sorry he hurt you. If he would've known you were my friend, I'm sure he wouldn't have tried to kill you." She smiled at the little girl and took her by the hand. She didn't want to dwell on the negative, so she focused on the positive. "Now, how  
much of Neverland have you seen?"

"Well, I saw Mermaid Lagoon, part of the forest, the ship, and now I'm here. It's seems pretty dangerous so far."

"Yeah, it's not the safest place in the universe, but it is pretty fun. There's a ton of adventure around every corner."

"I still can't believe I'm here!" Ally exclaimed. "Sasha always told me that this wasn't real, but here l am. Oh, I wish I could bring her here! That would prove her wrong." She laughed while imagining what her sister's face would look like.

Maria glanced at Peter. He looked so pale and lifeless. The Medicine Woman entered and knelt down by Peter. She examined his wound and then cleaned it gingerly. After wrapping it tightly, she checked on Ally's wrist.

Maria brushed Peter's hair off his forehead and kissed him gently on the cheek. He still laid there with his mouth partially open. His arm was bandaged where he was shot and was in a sling.

"He surrendered to your dad," Ally mentioned.

"He what?" Maria asked, confused.

"Your dad was hurting him. Peter couldn't take the pain I guess."

Maria couldn't believe it. Her dad technically won! But Peter could've died saying that. She wanted to punch him so badly, but he was still asleep. "How'd he escape?"

"I cut Hook on the knee and freed the boys. Then Slightly helped him get free while me and the boys distracted Hook."

Maria was proud she stood up to her dad. Of course she didn't want him hurt, but sometimes that's the only to get free. "Nice! Give me five!"

So Ally smacked Maria's hand and chuckled. After a bit of watching Peter sleep, Maria and Ally headed outside to hang with the boys. Ally needed to have some fun while she was there. She would have to go back before her parents got back from their date.

Maria sat by Slightly and watched her play tic, tac, toe in the sand with Nibs. He had clearly never played the game before because he lost every round for a while. Slightly was holding an ice pack against his head, trying to get rid of the throbbing  
headache he had had all night.

Cubby, Tootles, and the twins were telling Peter Pan stories to other Indian children. Everyone seemed very happy at the camp, except for Tiger Lily. She had her head in her hands and was sobbing. Maria thought about going over there to check on her but  
decided against it. They were not friends and wouldn't ever be if they both liked Peter.

Holden stayed close by, trying his best to avoid eye contact with Dancing Moon. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop noticing the fact that she was flirting with her fiancé. e drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.  
He hoped that Maria would want to go soon.

"Ignore them," whispered Maria. "She's just trying to make you jealous."

Holden looked up at her and forced a half smile. Maria smiled to herself and then looked back at Peter's tent. She thought she heard yelling coming from there. Crawling closer, she could easily make out what was being said and by who.

"Peter, you shouldn't have gone there alone! You promised me you wouldn't fight him," Tiger Lily shouted.

"Trust me, there wasn't any fighting from me. All I did was get my butt kicked," Peter retorted. "Plus, I didn't get the chance to promise anything! You just ordered me not to go."

"You could've died! Do you realize that?"

"Of course! But I had to try to save the boys. I couldn't live with my self if I just watched them die without trying."

"I'm done talking to you," she stated. She turned around on her heels and stomped out of the teepee.

Peter began to sit up but felt super dizzy when he moved. Laying back down, he replayed the fight in his mind and pouted. Ever since that party, Tiger Lily and him couldn't get along. He missed when they were the best of allies. She was always there for  
him, but now he felt like even the sight of him repulsed her. He sighed and looked at his broken arm.

Maria heard silence in the tent and decided to crawl in there. Peter turned his sound to the rustling of grass and smiled when he saw Maria. But then he noticed her legs and hands were covered in scratches. "What happened to you?" he asked, concerned.

"Mermaids attacked me," Maria shrugged off. "No big deal." She crawled closer to him and sat down cross-legged. "Is your arm feeling better?"

"Not really. I think it's actually worse. You see, I may or may not have went on the ship, and I may or may not have lost against Hook in a fight."

"I heard you surrendered." Maria folded her hands in her lap.

"I couldn't go on. I had no choice. My arm was bleeding again, and your dad squeezed it really hard."

Maria sighed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm really sorry. I wish I had never gone to that slumber party. Then you would be alright, and Ally wouldn't have broken her wrist, and Slightly's head would feel better."

"What's wrong with Slightly's head?"

"A mermaid slammed him against a rock." Peter's mouth parted slightly. He couldn't believe that everyone he cared about ended up hurt. And it was technically his fault since he couldn't save them."

Maria knew what was going through his mind. "We're all still alive, though, so that's pretty good!"

Peter smiled. "Yeah, I guess that's good," he joked. He reached out for Maria with his good arm and rubbed her hand tenderly. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." He looked down, ashamed. He promised Emily he would take core of her, and he felt like he let  
her down.

"Peter, you were kind of injured at the moment. You really couldn't."

"Yeah, but I told your mom that-" He stopped abruptly.

"You told my mom what?" Maria drew back her hand and frowned. What happened that she didn't know about? When did he talk to her? Did this have anything to do with the coat she found?

"Never mind," Peter mumbled. "It's not important." He really didn't want to get into what happened that day. He knew she would hate him if she ever found out he killed her mother.

"What?" Maria persisted.

"It really doesn't matter."

Knowing she wouldn't win the fight right then, she gave up and sat in silence with him. Then, the Medicine Woman came in through the closed flaps. She spotted Maria's wounds and furrowed her brow. "You alright, squaw?"

Maria looked up and gazed at the towering woman. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine." she responded.

"Are you sure?" The woman bent down and stretched Maria's leg out to inspect it.

"I was attacked by mermaids yesterday. I'll be okay."

"Does it hurt to walk on?" She began to unwrap the bandage and found pus coming out of the deep cuts.

"Yeah. I can't walk on it."

She immediately got a clean cloth out of the cabinet and dunked it into a basin. Then she came back over, beginning to wipe away the yellowish goo. Maria gripped Peter's hand tighter and bit her bottom lip. Touching it sent a searing pain through her  
entire leg.

After the wounds were clean, the woman grabbed some ointment and rubbed it on her small leg. "You need to stay off it as much as possible for the next few days and put this on your leg twice a day. It will prevent it from getting infected and help it  
heal faster," she instructed.

Maria listened carefully and took the jar from the woman's large hand. "Thank you," Maria said politely.

"I'm going to get you some crutches." The woman left the tent, leaving the kids in more awkward silence.

Maria looked at al the different herbs in the shelving unit. It surprised her how many plants in Neverland were used as medicine. Looking at the stove, she admired the little, tame fire inside. She never knew how to build a fire but wanted to learn. Then  
she gazed at Peter, who was staring at the fire. "Hey," she began. "I found my mom's coat in your room. Why was it in there?"

"Why were you in there?" Peter asked, trying to avoid the question.

Maria blushed; that was a good comeback that she wasn't ready for. "I was cleaning your room for you. Now, answer my question." She crossed her arms stubbornly and waited.

He began to open his mouth to speak but was cut off by a little girl. "You're awake!" she exclaimed. "Guys, come on!"

The boys appeared in the opening and surrounded their leader. Ally made her way to Maria and plopped down on her lap. Tootles, who was overjoyed to see Peter was alright, crawled on top of him to give him a hug. But on the way up, he accidentally stepped  
on Peter's arm, making Peter flinch and bite his lip. Maria saw it happen and quickly pulled Tootles off of him. "You have to be careful with Peter," she explained. "His arm is hurt really badly."

Tootles pouted and gazed down at his tiny feet, ashamed that he caused Peter pain. Maria sat him down on her lap also and rubbed his head lovingly.

"What happened to you?" Slightly asked.

"How did your arm get hurt?" Nibs pipped up.

"We were really worried you were dead!" Cubby added.

"Are your gonna live?" the twins questioned.

Peter didn't know what to say to them. He was supposed to be indestructible, and there he was, laying there like an injured bird. "Um," Peter stumbled. "I took a bullet to the arm. Police were trying to shoot Maria, but I jumped in the way so she didn't  
get hurt."

"How did you get back here, then?" Slightly asked, very confused. "I thought you couldn't fly-"

"I can't. Maria flew me back here."

"You can fly, Maria?" Slightly twisted his head and looked at her with admiration.

Maria blushed from the look he gave her. "I can fly, but I can't land worth a darn," she chuckled.

"What's your happy thought?" Cubby questioned.

Maria quickly glanced at Peter and then at Cubby. "Oh, uh, nothing major." She smiled bashfully and found herself beginning to stare at Peter out of the corner of her eye. Quickly averting her eyes, she caught the attention of Ally.

Ally stood up and faced Maria. "Are you and Peter dating?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

Maria chuckled. "Yes," she said simply.

"You don't hate him like Hook? That's funny! I thought you and him wouldn't be friends! Guess I was wrong."

"Well, I did hate him when I was little, but my feelings changed when he helped me after I sprained my ankle." Maria thought about the moment when their eyes locked but quickly snapped out of it. She had to get Ally home. But with her leg, she knew it  
would be a few days before she could fly again. "Ally, I just want to let you know that I'll be able to take you home in a few days."

"I don't want to go back home!" she stated. "I never want to see Sasha again!"

Maria sat Tootles off her lap and patted her legs to get Ally to sit back down. She did and Maria wrapped her arms around her, much like a big sister would. "What about your mom and dad? They would miss you a lot if you didn't come back."

"I can't live with Sasha anymore." Ally picked at her fingernails. "She never takes anything I say seriously, and she keeps trying to make me grow up! And I don't want to grow up! I want to stay little forever!"

"Ally, I know growing up is tough, but you can't run away from your problems."

"Why not?" Peter asked. "I ran away from mine and turned out fine."

Maria shot him a "shut up" look and went back to cradling Ally in her arms. "Don't listen to him," she whispered. "He actually needs a mother really badly."

"Do not!" Peter argued. "I raise six boys by myself! I don't need anyone to take care of me!"

"Peter, you're thirteen! Of course you need someone to take care of you! I need someone to take care of me; it nothing to be ashamed of."

Peter pouted and attempted to cross his arms but failed miserably. Frustrated, he began to sit up and rested his arm on a pillow.

"Now, since you really want to stay here, where do you want to call home? Do you want to live on the ship with me?" Maria asked, knowing that eventually she would want to go back home to London.

Ally thought about it for a moment. "I don't know," she said uncertainly. "It's pretty scary there. And your dad doesn't seem to like me."

"Well, that's because you were a prisoner before. If you chose to live there, you wouldn't be staying in the brig. You would sleep in my room. And I'm sure my dad would warm up to you."

"You could also stay with me!" Peter interjected. "It's completely safe there."

"And you could have my bed," Nibs added shyly.

Ally had to make a good decision. She didn't know what to pick! They both sounded fun; however, her safety on the ship was questionable. But she would be with Maria, so she knew she would protect her. "I think I'll try the ship," she shared after a while  
of thinking.

Maria clapped in excitement. "Yay! I promise I'll make it fun for you," she responded.

The Medicine Woman then came back in with tow wooden crutches in hand. "Here you go," she said while handing them to Peter. The teepee had become very cramped with the addition of another body. "I see you're sitting up, Flying Eagle. That's good! Now,  
to make sure your arm heals properly, you must keep it still. I would keep the sling on it for a week, and then you should be fine to take it off.

Peter nodded in understanding, stood up, and shimmied his way through the crowd of boys. The Lost Boys followed their leader outside and made sure he was stable as he began to walk towards the exit. Ally and Maria were left in the teepee. Maria struggled  
getting up on her feet and relied heavily on her crutches for support. Ally spotted Maria as she took her first step. Luckily, she was successful and didn't fall. Quickly getting used to them, they also headed towards the exit.

Holden spotted them and rushed beside Maria. "How's your leg?" he asked nervously.

"It will be fine. The Medicine Woman told me to stay off it for a few days and put this ointment on it," Maria explained. She looked back to make sure Ally was with them and headed down the land bridge. The whole time, Holden had his arms out to catch  
her, but she was walking with the crutches very well. By the time they got back to the ship, she was practically a professional.

Hook was pacing the main deck, not sure where his daughter went. But when he saw her out on the beach, he smiled and sighed a breath of relief. Then, as he saw Ally with them, a smiled formed on his face. His chance of killing Peter wasn't ruined after  
all.

As the kids walked up the dock, Hook fiddled with his hook, eager to get his hands on her, but Maria came up to him and pushed down his hook. "Dad, I want to introduce you to my friend, Ally. This is the little girl I live with in London."

"Wait," Hook mumbled. "This is Ally?" A sudden wave of guilt washed over him. Though he was a pirate, he did have a conscious. "Oh, Ally, I'm so sorry. If I had known you were Maria's friend, I wouldn't have hurt you."

Ally was brave enough to walk out from behind Maria so she could accept his apology. "It's okay," she assured. "It was quite an adventure. That's what Neverland is about, right?"

Hook smirked. She was so nice to him considering what he had done to her. "Yeah, I guess so." He looked at Maria and noticed her crutches. "Where'd you get those?" he asked, confused.

"Holden took me to the camp. They saw I was hurt and gave me these so I didn't have to be carried," she explained. "They also gave me some ointment to keep my cuts from getting infected."

Hook was shocked. The Indians were usually not friendly with pirates. So why were they actually helping her. Did she create some sort of alliance with Tiger Lily? He pushed those thoughts aside when he saw Ally toying around with a cannon. "Um, Maria,  
why don't you show Ally around the ship? All she saw was the brig when she was here earlier," he prompted kindly.

Maria nodded and made her way over to Ally. She was amazed by being on a real pirate ship! Wait till Sasha hears about this, she thought.

"Hey, you wanna tour of the ship?" Maria asked while watching Ally pretend to shoot cannons.

Ally gazed up at Maria and smiled. Taking that as a yes, Maria immediately led her into her room and then showed her every nook and cranny of her home. Ally took it all in, trying to savor every moment of it. She was excited to be free of Sasha forever.  
She could finally be herself.

Before she knew it, it was already time for dinner. Hook had ordered that a special meal be made for their guest. Ally had never felt so happy in her life. The crew had all been informed that no harm was to come to her, so she felt very safe. At the end  
of the day, Ally snuggled into Maria's bed and fell fast asleep, but Maria slept on the floor.

The next few days flew by. The girls were having so much fun, especially Ally. Not having to deal with Sasha was a big relief. She wondered if her parents missed her, but she didn't worry about them much. There was way too much fun to have.

Their days usually started off with breakfast in the mess, and then they went out to play with the boys. After that, the girls would go swimming in the ocean before going to have lunch. Then they would hang out with the boys again until dinner, which  
meant they had to hurry to get ready for the meal. And then they would head over Maria's bedroom and talk about the day until they both fell asleep.

As the week wore on, however, Maria found herself feeling drained and exhausted. She was having a blast having Ally on board, but she was also trying to give her the true Neverland experience. Plus, she had to keep the boys happy as well. Peter wasn't  
able to rough house with them because of his arm, so Maria had to take them on treasure hunts and run around with them instead. And she also had to sneak around to steal her own father's treasure. She felt like the worst daughter in the world.

And because Hook always found out his treasure was missing, she constantly was watching out for him in the forest. Her stomach was always in a knot, feeling anxious all that she would get caught eventually. By the end of the day, Maria, usually fell asleep  
at the dinner table and was carried to bed, either by Hook or Holden.

Peter had noticed how tired she was. He figured it was because she was doing everything for him, since his arm was still useless. Even with the sling off, it hurt too much to use. So to make it up to her, he knew he needed to do something special. But  
how could he show her how much he appreciated her. The perfect plan came to Peter while he was sleeping. Heknew she would love it.

Oh the cleverness of him.

* * *

 **Helloeveryone!**

 ****

 **So I tried to get this up quickly for you guys because I'm so happy you'reenjoying my book! Thanks again for the support you're giving me! Your nice reviewsare definitely encouraging me to write faster. I guess that they do make you work faster.**

 ****

 **Please keep letting me know what you think!**

 ****

 **Thanks,**

 **Kacibubbles**

 ****

 **P.S. the next chapter should have some action in it of some sort. :-)**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Maria woke up the next morning with a crick in her neck. She had been sleeping on the floor so Ally could sleep in the bed during her stay. She turned her head to catch a glimpse of the little girl. She was sleeping peacefully. Seeing that she was fine, Maria sat up and stretched her arms. Then she forced herself to get up so she could go get ready.

She made her way slowly to the bathroom on the ship and splashed her face with some water out of the basin. She quickly looked up at her reflection and noticed how dark she was under the eyes. She reached up to touch them as if they were just an illusion. But they were very real.

Sighing at herself, she moved away from the mirror, rubbed her eyes, and yawned. How was she this tired? She was thirteen; she should have been able to have fun without being so exhausted. If no one was going to come for Ally, she was going to have to make her sleep on the floor a few times.

As she moved into the kitchen, she pulled out some cereal flakes and milk. Smee was in there, and he tried to say hello. But Maria honestly didn't hear him.

"Maria?" he asked. "You okey?"

Maria looked up from her bowl and put on a fake smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assured. "Great, actually."

"Are you sure? Because your not pouring the milk in the bowl."

Maria looked down at what she was doing to find that milk was all over the counter. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll clean it up." She reached for the roll of paper towels, but Smee just rested his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay. I'll clean it up. You go ahead and enjoy your cereal." He ripped a towel off the rack and placed it on top of the puddle of milk.

Maria looked down at her cereal, which had no milk in it, and pouted. Was she really that tired that she missed the bowl completely? She needed to take Ally back so she could get some sleep. Apparently, she wasn't able to function! "So where's Dad?" she asked after a while.

"Oh, he's in his room plotting his revenge like always," Smee answered. "I'm a little worried about him. He's always been obsessive, but I've never seen him this bad. I think he's sees hope." Smee rested against the counter and turned to Maria. "How is Peter doing?"

"He's better. He's trying to use his arm more, but it still hurts. It was broken, after all."

"When do you think he'll be able to fight? I'm afraid Hook will come up with something, but he won't be able to defend himself. It might be a good idea to start practicing with him."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Maria dipped her spoon into the cereal and shoved it in her mouth.

"So what are you doing with Ally today?"

"I think we'll do a treasure hunt. I have to find a better place for it though. The boys are pretty good at finding shiny stuff."

Smee chuckled. "That sounds like fun!" He went to the basin and dunked a few dishes in there. Maria watched him silently until she finished eating, then walked back to her room to wake Ally up.

But as she stepped inside her cabin, the bed was empty, and sheets were thrown back. "Ally?" Maria whispered. "Ally, where'd you go?" She ran out of the cabin and into the bathroom. Not there. She went to the kitchen. Not there. She also wasn't in the mess. "Crap!"

As Maria headed outside, she found her playing sword fight with Holden. Sighing a little in relief, she leaned against the doorway and watched in amusement as Ally pinned Holden against the mast.

"Wow!" Holden exclaimed. "You're better than I thought. Nobody will stand a chance against you if you keep practicing!"

Ally lowered her sword, which was real, and put it in her scabbard. "Thanks!" She twisted around and saw Maria was watching. "Did you see that?" Her face was beaming.

"I did!" Maria said while offering her a smile. "You, my friend, are amazing at fencing!" She headed over to the little girl and squatted down in front of her. "Now, are you ready for another good day? I was thinking we could go on another treasure hunt."

"Yay! I love treasure hunts! Should we take the treasure now?"

"Lets have the boys help us." Maria stood up and found Holden raising one eyebrow at her. "What?"

"You're planning on stealing you own dad's treasure? That's risky!" he explained.

"I've been doing it a lot this week. I think I've got it down to a science." She crossed her arms and smirked proudly. "Plus, Peter could use some fun. His arm's getting better so I was hoping he would help me sneak it off the ship."

"Well, Hook's busy in his room so you shouldn't have to sneak past him. I'll be your lookout when you get back."

"Thanks, Holden. You're really sweet."

"I know." A smile formed on the two kids' faces.

Maria took Ally by the hand, and they headed down the dock and onto the beach. Then they strolled causally through the forest until they found Hangman's Tree.

Once there, Maria stepped up to the the door and knocked softly. "Peter?" she asked. "Are you home?"

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Peter dressed in usual green outfit. "Oh, hey, Maria!" Peter exclaimed. "I'm glad you're here. The boys are driving me nuts. Please tell me you have something fun planned."

"Of course I do! That's kinda my job right now." Maria walked inside with Ally and flopped down into the chair. Peter closed the door quickly and shuffled over to her. "I was thinking we could do another treasure hunt."

All the boys twisted their heads at the words treasure hunt. Tootles was probably the most excited; after all, he was the best at finding the treasure. Slightly and Nibs stood up from their meal and headed over to Maria. "Did you already hide it?" Slightly questioned.

"No, I wanted your help getting it," Maria said. "And I thought Peter could help us this time, too!"

A strange and unusual feeling coursed through Peter when she said that. It was fear. He couldn't fight yet! His arm was too weak! Plus, he wasn't able to fly. So even if he did do it, he wouldn't be able to fly away if things went wrong. "Well," Peter hesitated. He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Was he going to let his arm stop him from having fun?

No.

"I'm in," he said at last.

Maria smiled and hopped out of her seat. "Shall we go, then?" she asked, obviously excited that Peter was feeling like he could fight again.

"Let's do this." Peter gripped the handle of his knife and smirked confidently. The boys and Ally grabbed their weapons and ran outside, ready to have another adventure. Maria and Peter trailed behind as they walked all the way to the ship.

As soon as they got to the dock, Maria scurried over to the main mast with Peter and pressed her body against him. Peter had a horrible know in his stomach. He knew that he shouldn't be there, but he didn't want to disappoint Maria. So there he was, practically committing suicide.

Maria glanced over at Peter to find his hand shaking. "You alright?" she whispered, concerned.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine," he lied while pulling out his dagger. "So what's the plan?"

Maria gestured to the boys and began to tell him what she was thinking. "The boys and Ally will distract my dad while we get the treasure." Just then, they came sprinting on to the deck whooping and hollering. Ally looked like she was having the time of her life tormenting the crew, which were chasing them around with swords in hand.

"C'mon!" Peter yelled while grabbing Maria's hand. She ran right where the treasure was sitting and lifted one side of it. Peter followed suit and picked up the other end. Then they commenced to carrying it outside.

The only problem was Hook was ordering the crew from the poop deck. There was no way Maria wouldn't be seen with him up there. She tugged Peter back inside to come up with another plan. "My dad's on the poop deck. If I get caught helping you, I'll spend the night in the brig. We have to make this look like I'm fighting you."

"Okay, follow my lead," Peter whispered. He whipped around and drug the treasure chest outside with him.

Maria raced after him and picked up the other end again. "Let go!" she ordered.

"No! I found it! I get to keep it!" Peter pulled on the chest, making Maria stumble forward. He looked up at Hook to see if he was buying it. He was.

"You've stolen this treasure a lot this week. You aren't getting it again!" Maria pulled on the treasure, trying to make Peter lose his grip on the handle.

"Oh, yeah?" Peter then swung the chest around in a circle. Maria went toppling into the mast and crashed onto the ground. "Who's got it now?" Peter sneered. He felt bad that she hit the ground so hard, but he had to put on a good show for Hook.

Maria's vision went hazy, but she could make out that her dad was heading down the stairs. She assumed that Hook was coming to her aid. She let her eyes close, waiting for him to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her head better, but he never did. Instead, Ally ran over to her. "Are you okay?" she asked while assisting her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she assured. Though her head was throbbing, she pushed through the pain and stood up. Peter wasn't in front of her anymore, so she peered around the mast to find him making his way down the dock. She walked over to the railing to watch him officially escape.

But then there was a squeal coming from behind her. Peter and Maria whipped around at the same time. Hook had Ally in his arm and a gun pointed at her head. "Ally?" she whispered in disbelief. As she began to walk toward her dad, someone grabbed her wrists, keeping her from rescuing the little girl. "Dad, let her go," she commanded powerfully.

Nibs' eyes widened at the sight of her in the arms of Hook. "ALLY!" he screamed as he bolted towards them. He was quickly taken out by a burly pirate.

"Doesn't this remind you of one of my many victories, Peter?" Hook shouted. "I remember holding another little girl in my arms a long time ago. Do you remember what happened to her?"

Maria shot Peter a fearful expression, knowing what he was talking about. He was going to kill Ally just like the twins' sister. "Dad, don't you dare hurt her!"

Hook completely ignored his daughter's orders and kept his eyes locked on Peter. His eyes were obviously filled with terror. "Let her go," he shouted back.

"Not until you surrender."

Peter looked down. What was he supposed to do? If he surrendered, he would die, but if he didn't, she would die. "I'm not surrendering until I know she's safe," he retorted.

"Surrender now, or I'll shoot her, just like I did the other one."

Peter gulped and sprinted up the dock and onto the deck. "No, please don't! I can't return another little, dead girl to her parents."

"Maria, HELP!" Ally sobbed. She was trembling in Hook's arm and crying.

"Let me go right now!" Maria pleaded to the pirate. "She needs me!"

"Not as much as I need off this island!" the pirate boomed. "Now, shut up!" He drew out his cutlass and held it right to Maria throat.

"Peter, DO SOMETHING!" Maria cried.

"Whose side are you on?" Hook questioned as he turned to his daughter. "Because it sounds like you want him to win."

"Right now, I do," she spat. Hook tightened his lips and went back to staring down Peter. "You are a liar! You told her directly that you wouldn't have hurt her if you had known who she was. But apparently you don't care anymore."

"Enough, Maria! It's not personal; it's business."

"So if Peter would save me, you would put me in real danger?"

"If it meant I could kill him, then yes. Now, quit interrupting!"

Maria felt so betrayed. He would hurt her just to kill some kid. She couldn't believe how cruel Hook really was. She didn't even feel safe anymore around her own father!

Peter stared at Ally, who was shaking uncontrollably. He knew he had to save her. "Alright, enough of this stalling," Hook said. "Whose it going to be? You or her?" The gun clicked, signaling its readiness to shoot.

"Hook, I won't let her die! If you want her dead, you'll have to kill me first." He drew his knife again and charged at the captain.

"Peter, NO! You can't fight with your arm!" Maria screamed. But it was too late. The battle had already begun.

Hook dropped Ally to the ground and drew his sword. "Have at me!" He blocked Peter's first blow easily and then waved his cutlass at Peter, slicing him on the chest.

Blood seeped out of the cut on Peter's chest. He staggered backwards and clutched his now throbbing chest. That's when Hook lunged for Peter and knocked him off his feet. He grunted as his body hit the metal grate. Hook quickly pinned Peter's limbs down and jabbed his fist into Peter's nose.

Peter grimaced from the throbbing sensation in his nose. But it was not the worst pain he had been in. That was about to change, however.

"I have been wanting to do this to you for a long time," Hook hissed. "Looks like I'm going to win again."

"What makes you think that?" Peter grunted.

"Well, I'm the one on top of you, aren't I."

Peter frowned and struggled to get free, but it was no use! Hook was too strong.

"Now, where should we start?" He scanned Peter up and down before smashing his hook into Peter's temple. Peter cried out as the skin ripped. But before Hook could do any further damage, Ally tackled Hook, making him fall over. Peter was free but didn't move. He was cradling his head and whimpering quietly to himself.

Hook, who was determined to win, threw Ally off him and smashed his fist into Peter's stomach. Peter coiled up into a ball and bit his bottom lip.

Maria watched the whole thing in horror. Peter was bleeding in several places, but Hook was completely unharmed. She fought to get free. But the stupid pirate had a strong grasp. "Please, you don't understand," Maria cried. "I have to help Peter!"

"Sounds like you're a traitor. You know where traitors go, right?"

Maria craned her neck to look at the pirate. "I'm not a traitor! I owe it Peter. He helped me when I sprained my ankle, so I have to help him."

Without warning, the pirate lifted her in the air and threw her down to the ground. Maria grunted as her body made contact with the deck. She struggled up to her feet only to be shoved back down.

Then there was a grunt coming from where Hook was. Ally was attempting to punch Hook, but he didn't even flinch.

"Ally, don't," Peter whispered while struggling to sit up. "Just go find the boys. I'll be okay."

"But-!"

"Just go before you get hurt!"

Ally backed away from Hook and took off in a sprint towards the beach. Peter sighed in relief as he saw her officially escaped. But terror soon returned as Hook grabbed his shirt. He tried to get free, but Hook managed to pull him up to his feet. "Alright, enough fooling around. Let's fight for real," he spat. Releasing him, he got into position, sword pointed at the boy.

Peter hesitated a little before he stood up straight. If he was going to die, he was going to die with dignity. Hook smirked and then swung at Peter. Peter was barely able to block it with his arm. He was too weak to win, and he knew it. He knew he would die; he knew this would be the end of him.

Hook thrusted his sword at Peter's knife, knocking it right out of his hand. Peter looked into Hook's cold eyes and cowered. Hook grabbed Peter by the wrist and spun him around to where it was placed in between his shoulder blades. He let out an ear splitting shriek and dropped down to his knees. Burning pain fled through his arm, and the only thing he could get out was a whimper.

Peter then felt a circular thing pressed against his head. A gun. "Hook," he choked out. "Please don't shoot me."

Hook only laughed and pressed the gun harder against his head.

As he pulled the trigger, however, the bullet did not hit its intended target. Maria held the gun to the sky defiantly, looking straight into Hook's eyes. "You will not kill him," Maria stated.

Hook released Peter's arm and turned to his daughter. "What is wrong with you?" he shouted.

"Nothing's wrong with me. Something's wrong with you! You don't have a conscious!"

"Pirates kill people, Maria! I'm not wrong for wanting to kill him after all he's done to this family!"

"What has he done to this family? He only messes with you!"

"More than you know!"

"Well, he doesn't deserve to die because of whatever he did!" She motioned to Peter, but he was not there. She looked around and found him running down the beach, treasure in his arms.

Suddenly, Hook smacked Maria across the check with his hook. She fell to the ground in agony. "He got away, all because of you," Hook stated cooly. "I had him. I could have gotten my revenge. But you turned soft and had to save the day. And now I may never get my happy ending."

Maria pouted, not from the pain, but hearing her dad's suffering was the worst punishment he could give. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Let's see how sorry you are after a night in the brig." He snatched her arm and yanked her to her feet. Maria didn't bother to fight. She knew she had done "wrong". She deserved to spend the night in the brig.

Hook was silent on the way down to the cells. He practically had to pull her the whole way. The air had cooled off a lot until it actually felt cold to Maria. She hoped she would be allowed a blanket, because the shirt and shorts she was wearing were not very warm.

At last they reached her cell for the night. Maria casually walked in. The a loud clang of metal told her she was locked in. "I'll let you out in the morning. Hopefully this teaches you never to interfere with one of my plans ever again."

Maria didn't dare look over her shoulder. She couldn't bare the sound of disappointment in her father's voice. She didn't want to also see the disappointment on his face. Even though she knew that was the right thing to do, some deep part of her felt bad for doing it. He was her father, but she betrayed him.

…

Peter sat in his chair in his room and wrung his hat in his hands anxiously. It had been more than two hours, and Maria hadn't come to check on Ally. He figured that something was wrong. If any happened to Ally, she would be there to comfort her.

Slightly entered quietly into Peter's room and hesitated to speak. "Peter, are you going to hide the treasure for us?" he asked, knowing that it was probably not the best time to be bugging him. "Ally's sorta bored."

"I'm worried about Maria," Peter said flatly. "I know she would be here to be with Ally, but she isn't. I think she might be in trouble. But I can't go back on the ship. I'd get attacked."

"Fly."

"Wait, what?"

"I know you can't fly when you're hurt, but it's been eight days. You should probably try. That way, you wouldn't have to go on the ship; you could look through the windows."

Peter froze. "I don't think I can."

"Why not?" Slightly crossed his arms and frowned.

"I-I'm scared," he mumbled so Slightly couldn't understand him. "I haven't been able to fight well, lately, so I really don't want to try to fly."

"You're scared? But flying is your favorite thing to do!"

"I'm aware, but I don't think I will be able to yet. Maybe I can try tomorrow."

Slightly sighed in frustration. He had to make Peter confident again so he would perk up. "Peter, c'mon. Let's go back to the ship, and let's find Maria."

Peter curled up in his chair, his hand trembling. "I can't, Slightly! I'm too scared! I almost died today, again! I don't want to die; I want to live!"

"What's living if you never take chances?" Slightly, seeing that Peter would not move from his chair, sat down in his hammock. "Maria could need your help." he explained. "She could be getting whipped for all we know! You have to check on her."

Peter pouted. Slightly was right. He needed to man up and have an adventure. "Alright," he grumbled. "I'll go to see if she's alright, but if I die, it's your fault." He stood up and headed outside. Slightly followed him all the way to the ship. Peter didn't speak. He only stared at the ground.

"I'll be here if you need me, but I don't think you will." He smiled and patted Peter on the back. "You are strong, you are brave, you are the best there ever was. Now go be the hero you are."

Peter took in a much needed deep breath and began to stroll onto the dock. He managed to be go unnoticed by the lookout, mainly because he was sleeping, and now had to make it to wherever Maria was. He peeped his head in every room but she was nowhere. A huge knot formed in stomach after searching all of the Reims on the second floor.

He descended down the flight of stairs and found himself in the brig. He didn't think she would be there, but he checked it out anyway. "Maria, you down here?" he asked, knowing that no pirates would be down there.

Maria woke up from a nap and propped herself up on her elbow. "Peter?" Maria whispered. "Is that you?"

Peter frowned when he heard her because that meant she was in a cell. He sprinted over to her cell and crouched down. "What are you doing here?" Maria sat up all the way and scooted over to him. Her cheek was purple and swollen. "What happened?" Reaching out to touch her, Maria flinched as his hand touch her cheek. "Why are you hurt?"

"My dad slapped me with his hook," she explained quietly. "I have to spend the night in here because I helped you." She hugged her knees close to her chest and pouted.

"You can't stay down here! It's freezing! You could get a cold." Peter sat down as well and took Maria's hand.

"He doesn't care. And I don't think I'm getting dinner tonight either. He's really mad."

"He can't do this to you! I won't let this happen!" Peter stood up and reached for the keys. His heart was racing with rage as he yanked the keys off the hook.

"Peter, I can't leave; this is my punishment."

"What are you being punished for? Being good?" Peter hung the keys back on the hook, allowing Maria to decide what she wanted.

"Yep." Maria stood up and placed her hands firmly on her hips and sighed. Her father was anything but good. And she really didn't understand why she couldn't choose a different path from her father. Then she got to thinking about how she used to be earlier in the summer. She would've loved to see Peter get shot, but that same thought now made her heart sink. Then, she realized that Peter was on the ship, and Hook was craving revenge.

"Peter, you should probably get out of here. My dad could come down and see you. And I can't help you if I'm in this cell."

"You gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine," Maria lied. "I've spent the night in here before. I can do it again. Plus it'll give me a chance to catch up on sleep."

Peter pouted a little before stepping away from the cell. "Well, alright. I hope you have sweet dreams."

"Thank you," Maria smiled. "Oh, how is Ally?"

"She's fine. Nibs have been keeping her happy all day."

"He is so sweet!"

"But not as sweet as me, right?" Peter crossed his arms and smirked.

"You are the sweetest boy I've ever met."

Peter blushed from the complement and swayed back and forth. "Well, I'm going to get out of here before I get caught, and hopefully, I will make it out of here alive."

"Alright. Thanks for checking on me."

"No problem. See ya tomorrow?"

"Sure!" Maria leaned against the cell door, desperately wanting out to hug him. But she had to pay the price for helping him in front of her dad. She watched as he sprinted down the hall and up the stairs. Once she was sure he was gone, she sank down to the floor and glanced down at her tattoo. Part of her wished that it wasn't there, reminding her of who she was. She really saw no appeal of being a pirate anymore. If it meant that she had to hurt others just to get revenge, then the pirate's life was not for her.

…

After another day full of adventure, Ally, Peter, and the Lost Boys all headed to the hideout. The sun had nearly set over the horizon and the air had cooled off a lot compared to what it was. And there was a nice breeze blowing through the trees.

Ally was dragging her feet as she trudged to the guest bed. She was too tired even to eat dinner. In fact, all the boys were exhausted from their treasure hunt. Peter had hidden it in a tree, so they really had no idea where it was. He usually hid it at one of the main locations on the island, so they went to those places first. But when they didn't find it, they had to search every corner of the forest.

Peter's legs were tired from walking all day-usually he would've flown. He rubbed his thighs tenderly and watched as the kids all snuggled under their blankets. Then, one by one, they fell into a deep sleep.

Peter waited a little bit before going into his room. He felt guilty for leaving Maria in the brig. He couldn't believe how cruel Hook was to his own daughter. Smacking you're child wasn't unheard of. Peter's dad did it to him when he tried to sneak out the first time, but he was never locked away.

He had to free her for the night. He also had to thank her for saving him from getting shot again. But how? How could he show her how much she meant to him?

After pondering this for a while, a perfect idea came to him. He would make her a candle-lit picnic. It was perfect. All he had to do was make a meal, find candles, and find the perfect spot for it. He thought about doing it in at Skull Rock but decided against it because he would have to steal a rowboat from Hook. And since he steady stole his treasure, he didn't think he should steal another thing from him.

So Peter decided to have it in the clearing located near the house. As quietly as he could, he used the blanket as a sack and shoved all the candles into it.

Once he had done that, he walked out of the hideout and began his short journey to the clearing. After he had found it, he set up the blanket and put a candle on all four corners so it wouldn't blow away.

Then he put his hands on his hips, proud of what he had put together. But he still had more work to do. He had to come up with a wonderful meal that wouldn't end up with Maria falling asleep.

But his legs were exhausted from walking the entire day. Even though he was not confident in the idea of flying, he decided it was time to give it a try. So he mustered up the little courage he had and pulled the sack of pixie dust out. The last time he had touched that pouch was in the alley. Taking a deep breath, he sprinkled the dust onto his head and hat. Then, he searched his brain for his happiest thought. Without hesitation, he sprinted a little before jumping into the air. But before he knew it, he was lying face-first in the dirt.

He got up and tried again, but again fell down. He tried again, and again, and again. But he had no luck. Either his thought wasn't happy enough, or he was still to wounded to fly. Hoping it was his thought, he searched for something better. He got to thinking of Maria, her smile, her eyes, her spirit.

Suddenly, he found himself floating above the ground. It took him a moment to realize that he was doing it. He was flying! He bolted up towards the sky and burst into laughter. He could fly again. Seeing the island so small made his heart flutter with happiness. The widest grin formed on his face as he dove back down to the ground and swerved back up, heading to the ship. He figured Smee would help him make a nice dinner for Maria.

As he approached the ship, he landed firmly onto the sandy beach. Then he walked onto the dock and onto the the ship. But little did he know that there was someone watching his every move.

Once he was passing the mast, a hand grabbed his arm and shoved him into the big wooden cylinder. Peter shrieked as he reached for his knife. But the pirate knocked it out of his hand. Grabbing his wrists, the pirate pinned his arms against the mast.

"What are you doing here?" Holden asked while staring at Peter.

Peter didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell the pirate what he was really doing! That would get both him and Maria killed. "I, uh," he stumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't be an idiot. Why are you here? Are you doing something for Maria?"

Peter's eyes widened with fear. "You know?"

"Yes. Maria told me a while ago."

"And you're not going to tell Hook?" Peter furrowed his brow, confused.

"Please. I will not tell Hook anything I don't have to."

"Well, if you don't care about me dating Maria, can you let go of my wrists?" He glanced down at his hands and back up at Holden.

"Not yet." Holden squeezed Peter's wrists tighter and pressed them harder against the mast. "I want to know why you would risk your life to do something for Maria. Hook isn't messing around anymore. He wants to see you covered in blood-your blood. You need to leave, now, before anyone else sees you."

"I need help from Smee," Peter explained. I set up a picnic for Maria, but I'm not good at cooking. So I was hoping he would help me."

"You should not go in that ship. You could die, especially since you got hurt."

"Yeah, but I can fly again! I'll be fine." Peter ripped his hands free from Holden's grip and began to walk inside, only to be yanked back again.

"Listen, I don't want to see you die. And if you go in there, you will. Now, I'm technically, not supposed to leave my post, but I can help you gather some fruit for your picnic."

"You would help me?"

"Yeah, I'm bored anyway. Plus, no one is going to attack the ship."

"Well, thanks, uh, what's your name?"

"Holden." He released Peter's arm and smirked. Then, the boys ran off the ship and collected strawberries and other fruits. But Holden didn't just help him with that. He also gave Peter a bath. He knew that girls appreciated it when you got all cleaned up for them.

At about midnight, they had everything and Peter smelling good. It was time for Peter to go rescue Maria for the night. Peter followed Holden all the way down to the brig, and found Maria snoozing away. Peter smiled and grabbed the keys off the ring.

Once the door was unlocked, Peter walked into the cell and crouched down beside his sleeping beauty. "Maria," he whispered. She stirred a little and opened her eyes.

"Peter, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to kidnap you for the night. You didn't think I would let you actually sleep in here the entire night, did you?"

"You really shouldn't be here. My dad-"

"Holden's got me covered. Now c'mon. I have a surprise for you!"

"Wait, what?" Maria smiled and sat up. "Peter, you didn't have to do anything for me!"

"You're right, I didn't. But I wanted to!" He offered Maria his hand and helped her up. "Oh, by the way, I'm able to fly again."

"You are? That's great!"

Peter took Maria's hand in his and led her out of the cell. Maria tucked a piece of her tangled hair behind her ear. She wished she would've been able to get ready, but she didn't want to get caught sneaking around. So she went in her dirty hair.

Maria glanced over at Peter and blushed when he looked at her. Holden made sure that the path was clear and let the two kids go.

As they walked all the way to the clearing, Peter kept their conversation going. He like hearing about Maria's life on the mainland. Part of him thought that maybe he could go with her the next time. But then he realized that if he did, he would grow up. So since he wanted to stay a little boy forever, he and Maria would have to be apart while she went to school.

But instead of thinking of being apart, he decided to just enjoy their date.

Eventually, they were at their destination. Maria noticed the light coming from behind the trees. She cocked her head in confusion. Walking ahead of Peter, she gasped as she saw the most beautiful picnic. "Surprise!" Peter exclaimed while throwing his arms up into the air.

"This is all for me?" she asked while walking onto the blanket.

"Of course! You've done so much for me; I had to do something nice to thank you!" Peter replied while sitting down on the white sheet.

Maria plopped down beside him and smiled the biggest smile ever "Thank you. This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." She gripped Peter's hand and gave him a little kiss on the cheek, making him blush. She never would have thought that Peter would show his emotions so much. Liking each other seemed grown up for him, but it happened.

"Oh, I also got you something!" Peter reached for his pocket to grab her gift, but it wasn't there. Confused, he dug in his other pocket but found nothing. "Um-" Peter stumbled. "It was here, I swear!" He got up and searched around, frantic that he had screwed up and lost it.

After a few long minutes of waiting patiently, Maria jumped when she heard Peter squeal in excitement. "Found it!" he shouted. Coming back over to her, he knelt down with his hands behind his back. Then, while taking a deep breath, Peter revealed her gift to her.

Maria smirked when she saw it. "It's an acorn. On a string," she stated blatantly. "How nice." She picked it up delicately and held it up in the air.

"It's not just any acorn. It's a kiss. This will protect you from any harm. I felt bad that you got hurt by Hook, so you can wear this, and it will keep you safe."

Maria's lips parted slightly. That was actually the sweetest, most thoughtful gift she had ever received. A real smile formed on her face as she slipped it around her neck. "Peter, I don't even know what say," she whispered while staring lovingly at her kiss.

"You're welcome," he said, scooting closer to her. Peter then wrapped his arm around her.

Maria rested her head on his shoulder and stared up at the sky. The black was sprinkled with white stars-it was a truly beautiful night. She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them.

Peter couldn't help but feel butterflies in his stomach being so close to her. He could smell the sweetness of her hair. He could also hear the beating of her heart. It was rapid. He knew she loved what he did.

After a while, Maria realized that they hadn't really talked much since they had arrived. But she liked it. Something about it made her feel at ease. For the first time in a while, she wasn't afraid of her dad finding them. She was just engrossed in the moment. Besides, she shouldn't be worried when on a date. She needed to have a good time. Hook wouldn't find them.

Before they even knew it, they were both asleep. Peter's arms were wrapped around her tightly, and she snuggled up close to him.

…

When Maria's eyes finally opened, she found sunlight flooding her surroundings. Immediately, she sprung up, accidentally waking Peter. "Peter, it's daytime," she stated. "It's daytime, and I'm not home. Crap! My dad's going to kill me for sneaking out!" She began to walk off but was stopped by Peter.

"Wait up, Cinderella," he joked. "Wait, did we sleep here? All night?"

"Um, yeah! I have to get home!" She covered her face with her hands and groaned. "What am I going to say to him?"

"Say I kidnapped you. That's practically what I did!"

Maria looked up and smiled. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For everything." She stepped up to him and kissed him right on the lips. Then she backed away, taking the first step towards the home. She didn't want to leave: she didn't want the date to be over. But it was unavoidable. She had to go back home.

So that's what she did. It took her a while to get back to the beach, but she was also taking her time. She found herself humming and singing, something she did rarely. Liking Peter was changing her, but she was better than she was before.

Once back on the beach, she made her way over to the bridge. But someone was in her way-a girl with blonde hair who was in her pajamas. Instantly, Maria knew trouble was coming.

"Sasha?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello! Before you read this chapter, I want you to know that I updated chapter 16 and added a fight scene. You don't have to reread it to continue with my book, but if you like action, it may be worth your time. Enjoy!**

 **kacibubbles**

* * *

Chapter 17

Sasha whirled around at the sound of her name. Her eyes were filled with fear, and her hands were trembling.

Maria squinted against the light from the sun and shaded her face with her hand. "Sasha, what are you doing here?" she asked while stepping towards her. "How did you even get here? I thought you didn't believe in all this stuff."

"I don't," Sasha confirmed. "I'm just looking for Alice. I found pixie dust spilled on the floor so I taught myself how to fly and came here. Now, where is she?"

"Why should I help you?" Maria grumbled. "You don't even think that I can be trusted!" She crossed her arms stubbornly and snorted.

"Well, you have been lying to me this entire time. Sorry if I'm having a hard time believing you." Sasha planted her hands on her hips and pursed her lips.

"I wanted to tell you, but I knew that you would be like this."

"Like what?"

"Like this!"

"Whatever. Just take me to Alice."

Maria dropped her arms to her side and sighed. "I can't. I have to go face the wrath of my dad. Now, if you will excuse me-" Maria attempted to brush past Sasha, but she seized her wrist.

"You will help me." Sasha threatened. She reached into her pocket and flipped open a pocket knife.

Maria glanced down and then at the ship. "Is that mine?"

Sasha smirked at pointed it towards Maria's throat. Maria groaned and stomped her foot. "Fine, lets go," Maria mumbled. She pivoted towards the forest and stormed into the thick growth. "Just so you know, I don't really know where she is because Peter's able to fly again and she's probably with him. So she could be anywhere."

"Isn't Peter always able to fly?" Sasha questioned.

"Well, after he got shot, he couldn't fly."

"Did Hook shoot him?"

"No. When you called the cops on me, Peter jumped in the way of a bullet so I wouldn't get hurt."

"Wait, what? He got hurt because of me?" Sasha stopped in her tracks, terrified that she was the cause of him getting hurt.

"I thought you didn't even believe in him," Maria sneered. She turned to face her but cocked her eyebrow when she saw her trembling. "Hold on. You do believe in him?"

"Of course I do!" Sasha exclaimed. "He's been my hero ever since I heard his stories! And, yeah, I kind of pretended that he didn't exist for a while, but I never stopped believing."

"So why did you pretend that he wasn't real? Why did you tell Ally he wasn't real?"

Sasha looked down. "When I was in year seven, I was bullied constantly for believing. After I received a beating from Todd, I decided that I wouldn't believe so I wouldn't get hurt like that again. And after Grandma Wendy passed, I really started to change myself so I would be 'normal.' I didn't want Ally to get hurt like I did. I was trying to protect her too."

Maria actually felt her heart break for Sasha. She had no idea that ever happened. "Sasha, I'm so sorry! I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me though? I could've taught Todd a lesson."

"I didn't want to get you involved." Sasha admitted. "And, just between us, I think it's cool that you are a pirate. I mean, how many people your age has a tattoo?" She laughed. For a long time, she had been hiding her true self. But it felt like she could finally be herself again.

"Yeah, I wish I didn't. It's like even if I try to be good, this tattoo labels me as a bad guy. And I really like being good, but my dad would be crushed if I became good. He wants me to his co-captain when I get older."

"Well, this sounds like you could use some advice from your older sister." Sasha threw her arm around Maria's shoulders. "If you want to be good, be good. Don't waste you life pretending to be something you're not. Because it's not fun."

Maria giggled. "Thanks."

"No problem. Now, let's go find Ally."

The two girls strolled to the forest until they found Hangman's Tree. Sasha was beaming when she stood in front of the tree. She wanted to be there for her whole life, and she was finally there.

Maria knocked on the door softly, hoping that Ally was there.

After a few seconds, Peter showed up in the doorway. "Hey!" he said happily. "Hook isn't making you spend another night in the brig?"

"I haven't went back on the ship yet," Maria explained. "I kinda ran into Sasha on the beach, and she wanted me to take her to Ally."

"Oh, well, um, Ally is inside."

Sasha was overwhelmed with excitement and leaped for Peter. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sending them tumbling down the stairs. Peter struggled to get free, but Sasha was clinging to him. Once he finally got free of her, he drew his dagger, not sure if he could trust her. "You're the girl that kicked Maria out?" he asked.

"Yes, but we are fine now, aren't we?" She looked up at Maria and smiled.

"Like ice," Maria said.

Sasha scanned the room and found Ally sitting by Nibs and playing tic-tac-toe. "ALLY!" she squealed. Ally looked up and pouted. She thought a lecture was coming, but to her surprise, Sasha picked her up and embraced her tightly. "Oh, Ally! I was so worried! Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"No," Ally assured. "I'm fine. Maria's been taking great of care of me!"

"I bet!" Sasha eased Ally down and crouched down in front of her. "Have you been having fun?"

"Absolutely! I've almost died twice, I've been on treasure hunts, and I've made great friends."

"How did you almost die?" Sasha looked fearful.

"Hook tried to kill me. No big deal." Ally shrugged it off like it was nothing. "By the way, do you believe in all this now?"

"Well, I wouldn't be here if I didn't, now would I?"

"I guess not."

"I'm sorry for treating you the way I did for the past couple of years. I promise that I have changed. I will never put on makeup instead of playing with you againu."

"Really?" Ally's eyes were filled with hope.

"I pinky promise!" They locked pinkies and hugged again. "Now I hate having to say, this but we have to get home. If Mum and Dad see that we're not home, they will freak out."

Ally sighed sadly but knew they had to get home. "Alright, let's go."

Nibs hung his head and started to head for his hammock. Peter, who had watched the entire scene in front of him, noticed that Nibs was crawling into his bed. He quickly made his way over to the sad boy crawled in with him. "What's wrong?" Peter asked while sitting down.

"I don't want Ally to leave," he mumbled.

"Well, this doesn't have to be goodbye."

"What?"

"Hold on." He went to Tinkerbell's little room and pushed the leaf away. "Tink, I need you!" He snatched her and shook her wildly, making pixie dust fall into the little pouch he was holding. Then, he went back to Nibs and handed him it.

"What's this?"

"Pixie dust for you to give her! She'll love it. That way she can come back whenever she wants!"

"Thanks, Peter! You're brilliant!" He climbed down and stepped toward Ally. "I have something for you!" he said shyly.

"What?" Ally turned around and folded her hands in front of her.

"This." He held out his palm, revealing the pouch of pixie dust. "It's so you can fly here whenever you want."

"Thank you, Nibs!" She gave him a little hug and accepted the gift.

Sasha grabbed her hand and walked out of the hideout. Maria and Peter followed them all the way to the beach. "Thank you for letting Ally stay with you while I got my priorities straight," Sasha stated.

"No problem," Maria said while crouching down in front of Ally. "It was a blast having you around. Come back anytime."

Peter smiled and got down on his knees. "Yeah, make sure you don't grow up too fast, Ally." She smiled and squeezed him tightly.

"Oh, Maria, I'm sorry I kicked you out. Please come back for school on the fall!" Sasha pleaded.

"I will, don't worry." She smiled and embraced Sasha. Saha hugged her back and she's one little tear. But it wasn't a sad tear. It was a tear of joy. She was glad that she wasn't going to hide who she was anymore.

"Well, we really have to go. Come on, Ally!" Sasha waved for Ally to come, and they flew off into the sky.

Maria watched them until she couldn't see them anymore. Then she looked down at her feet. She was going to have to face her dad once she got on the ship. She thought she even saw him staring her down from the ship, which meant she had to make her conversation with Peter short. It also would have to look impersonal. "Peter, thank you for watching Ally yesterday. I really appreciate it."

Peter crossed his arms proudly and rocked back and forth on his feet. "No problem. She's really easy to take care of, so it wasn't much more to handle than usual." He noticed that Maria was acting strange. She wouldn't even look at him. "Is everything okay?" He reached out and squeezed her hand.

"Yeah. I just don't feel like dealing with my dad. He's going to harass me until he knows why I snuck out. And I feel bad for lying to him, but I hate having to pretend to be like him. I don't want to be a pirate anymore! I'd much rather be a lost boy. You guys only have fun! Plus, it's not like you would have to hurt anyone if he would just be nice." She looked up at Peter's brown eyes, looking for something to tell her it was okay for feeling the way she did.

Luckily, Peter's kind eyes were exactly what she needed. "Well, you really can't be a lost boy if you're a girl, but you could definitely be a lost girl!"

"You would make me a lost girl?" Maria asked surprised. "I thought you only recruited Lost Boys."

"Well, I would have to think about it." He smirked and started to back away. "But do you want to hang out tonight?"

"I'll probably be in the brig, and my dad will more than likely hide the key. Obviously I would want to, though."

"Well, I'll check back later. If you are able to come, wear something nice."

"How nice are you talking? Because most of my clothes are t-shirts and shorts."

"I don't know." He thought for a moment and then smiled. "Wear a dress. You look really pretty in those!"

Maria smiled and totally disregarded the fact that she didn't have any dresses. "Okay."

"Well, I have to get back to the boys. See ya later!" He waved goodbye and then sprinted into the forest. Maria waved back and watched as he soared over the mountains.

"Bye, Peter." Maria skipped playfully to the ship, and was consumed with only happy thoughts. But that all changed when she was stopped by Hook. She cringed when he said her name. "Hi, Dad," she fretted.

Hook, who was purposely not looking at her, tightened his lips and furrowed his brows. "How was your night out?"

Maria pouted. "Listen-"

"No, you listen to me!" Hook boomed. "I am your father. And I expect you respect me."

"I do!"

"Then why did you sneak out?" He gripped her biceps and shoved her into the mast. His gazed fixated on her, and he bared his teeth. Maria kept her mouth shut. Honestly, she was paralyzed with fear. Her dad had never been so aggressive with her. "Why did you sneak out?"

"I didn't sneak out."

"So you don't consider leaving when your not supposed to sneaking out?"

"Well, its complicated."

"There is _nothing_ complicated about sneaking out. Either you do it, or you don't."

"Peter told me he wanted to thank me for saving him, so he set up a picnic for me. Little did I know that he put barbiturate berries in the food. So I fell asleep, and he tied me to a tree. When I woke up, I didn't know where I was. And I had to get free. That's why I wasn't home."

Hook eased his grip on her arms and eventually released them. His gaze had softened. His body tensed up with fear. He suddenly wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly. Even though he was still mad at her, but his worry outweighed his anger by far.

Maria hugged him back, but guilt filled her belly. She had just completely deceived him. Sure, Peter did make her a picnic, but he was a perfect gentleman-well, gentleboy.

"I'm so sorry," Hook whispered in her ear.

Maria pulled away and forced a fake smile. "It's okay. I'm fine."

"It's not okay. Peter needs to pay for what he has done to you!"

"He just tied me to a tree. It's not that bad!"

"It's not just that! He needs to pay for it all-cutting off my hand, sinking my ship, and hurting you!"

Maria wanted to kick herself in the rear. She felt like she just made it worse. "What are you thinking you'll do?"

"I don't know, but I can assure you that I will not lose this time. _He_ _will_."

Maria pouted and sighed. "Well, I'm going to go to my room and then shower. I feel kinda gross from last night."

"Alright. Take your sword with you, please." Hook gave her a little squeeze on her shoulder and then strolled up to his desk on the poop deck.

Maria, once she closed the door to her cabin, let out an irritable sigh. While making things better for herself, she made things worse for Peter. Her dad always wanted to get revenge on him, but he was now obsessed with killing the boy. At least before he would go on a picnic with her every once in a while.

She quickly gathered the things she needed for her shower and headed back out into the forest. The whole way to the stream, Maria's stomach was in an unremovable knot. Even as the fresh water poured down her body, she was unable to relax. As quickly as she could, she got rid of the filth on her body and let the cold water trickle down on her back. It wasn't like a shower on the mainland, but it still felt good to have water pound on her body.

After a while, she finally stepped out of the stream and wiggled herself into her fresh the way back to the ship, Peter joined her unexpectedly. "So you survived?" he teased.

Maria jumped and grabbed her heart. But when she realized it was just Peter, relaxed a little. "Oh, yeah, I guess. But I had to make you look bad in order to not be locked away."

"It's okay." Peter shrugged and stopped in front of her. "Hook has never liked me. And I honestly don't care if he hates me."

"Well, I wish you guys would get along. That way I could hang out with in front of him."

Peter smirked at the thought of being friends with Hook. Clearly, Hook was to bitter in order to see that Peter wasn't that bad. Yes, he liked to trick him and tease him, but he was just joking around.

"So are we good for tonight?" Peter asked while swinging his arms playfully.

"Yeah. What time are we meeting up?"

"How about midnight by the dock?"

"Well, its past my curfew, but I can sneak out." Maria smiled and folded her hands in front of her

"Okay, see you then!" Peter then took off into the sky towards the hideout. Maria bit her bottom lip, trying to conceal a squeal. Peter had a way to make her forget about all her worries while they were together. She needed that desperately, especially since she was having to lie to Hook constantly.

But when he left, a new worry concerned her. What was she going to wear to their date? She didn't own a dress. The nicest thing she owned was her plaid skirt that she wore on the last day of school. At least there was one person that would have something she could wear.

Sasha.

Since they had made up, Maria knew Sasha would be all over giving Maria a makeover. Without hesitation, she dropped her things off at the ship and ventured back into the forest. She needed to get to Pixie Hollow as fast as possible so she could ask Tinkerbelle for some pixie dust. The only problem was, she didn't know where it was. She raced around for about an hour and finally happened upon the big tree that was in the center of the place. That's where all of the fairies hung out. Maria smiled and watched her step-she didn't want to accidentally crush the tiny creatures.

As soon as she found Tink, she explained that she needed pixie dust. Tink reluctantly sprinkled enough on her to get to London and back. Even though she wasn't too happy with Peter spending so much time with her, she knew she made him happy. And that was what Tink really wanted.

Maria thanked the fairy and then took off towards the sky. She knew when she was because the sky had turned to a dark shade of navy. Streets were empty for once in London, but that was also because it was the middle of the night. She swerved between the buildings until she found her destination-a little corner house with the famous glowing windows of the nursery.

Quickly, Maria flew to the window stumbled onto the roof. She tried to push it open, but it wouldn't budge. She tried again, but to no avail. Pushing harder with every attempt, Maria couldn't get the window to open. After a few minutes, Maria decided to go down to the door and knock. She knew it was late, but she needed help!

Tapping softly on the white door, she waited only a few moments before it swung open, revealing a beaming Sasha. "Hey!" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"I need a makeover," Maria mumbled. She was a little embarrassed about having to ask for help to get ready. But she wanted to look nice.

"Are you for real?" she questioned, thinking that she was pranking her.

"Peter asked me out, and he said to wear a dress. And, as you know, I don't have any dresses. Plus I figured that I should also do my makeup and hair. But then I realized I didn't know how to do any of that! So I need your help."

Sasha smirked. "Alright, pirate. Let's turn you into a princess." Sasha yanked Maria up the stairs and into the nursery. She instantly went to work and rummaged through her closet, looking for just the right outfit for Maria. After digging around, she found the cutest dress that would look adorable on her.

Once she stepped out of the closet, Sasha held up the dress. Maria couldn't believe it, but she actually liked it, even though it was pale pink. It came in at the shoulders, had sparkles on the top part, and flared out at the waist. "What do you think?" Sasha asked.

Maria was too embarrassed to say she liked it, so she put it a way that sounded more like her. "I don't hate it." She smiled and then took the dress. She quickly walked into the bathroom to change. On the inside, she was dying to know if it fit her properly. She shimmied off her clothes and slipped on the dress. Sasha knocked on the door, anxious to know how it looked on her. "Come in!"

Sasha opened the door to find Maria admiring herself in the mirror. "Maria, you look lovely!" she exclaimed.

Maria turned around and folded her hands behind her back. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"Now, let's get the rest of you ready."

The girls spent a while just on hair. Maria wanted something simple yet pretty. Sasha wanted to do a bun, but Maria hated the felling of the Bobby pins stuck against her scalp. So after a little bit of arguing, Sasha finally agreed to do a pretty Dutch braid in her hair.

Then she put some light makeup on Maria's face. "So where are you two going for your date?" Sasha asked while sweeping blush across Maria's cheeks.

"Skull Rock," Maria replied.

"Really? You're going there for your date?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, nothing good happens there! Just watch return to Neverland. Peter got captured."

"Nothing bad is going to happen. My dad doesn't know that he'll be there, and since most of our trouble comes from him, we should be good."

Sasha sighed as she finished applying lipgloss on Maria's lips. "Okay, just be careful. I don't want you or Peter to get hurt."

"Thanks," Maria said while looking at herself in the mirror again. "We'll be fine."

"Alright. Well, I believe you are done, _princess._ I hope you have a wonderful night!"

"Thanks for helping me. You are such a good friend."

"Thanks. By the way, all the girls left when I tried to tell them about everything being real. But it's okay. If they can't support me, then they aren't my friends."

Maria smiled and squeezed Sasha tightly. Then she made her way to the nursery window and flew away into the night sky. Careful not to mess up her hair, she tried to fly steadily. But as she landed onto the beach, she noticed that the a few pieces fell out of the braid. She hoped that it looked alright, but then something caught her attention.

Something really bad.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Standing on the ship was Tiger Lily. She stood with her bow in her hand and her quiver attached to her belt. She watched as Hook encircled her like a predator would do to its prey. Although she put on a brace front, Maria could tell that she was terrified.

Maria snuck onto the dock and squatted down so she wasn't seen; she didn't want Hook to see her in her dress. Craning her neck, she tried to hear what was being said. But she could only hear murmurs. After a few seconds of watching intensely, she saw Holden bring out the chief, who had his hands bound behind his back. His mouth was also taped closed.

"No," Maria whispered to herself. The chief did not fight to get free, but she could see that he was equally afraid as his daughter was. Tiger Lily lunged for Hook, but Smee held her back by the arms.

"You have two days. If you don't follow my orders, your father will walk the plank," Hook said cooly. "And that is not an empty threat!"

"You won't get away with this! Peter is much stronger than you. He will win!" Tiger Lily shouted. Her arms shook with fury as she struggled to get free.

Hook strolled over to the Indian and towered over her. Then he delicately lifted her chin so he could stare her directly in the eyes. "Well, let's see how strong he is when he takes one of these." Hook held a little pouch in his hand and showed it to her.

Tiger Lily had no clue what the pouch contained, but Maria did. It was a drug. She gasped aloud-too loud.

Hook turned his head to the sound but saw nothing. So he continued. "Take the chief back down to the brig," he told Holden. Holden nodded and dragged him back into his cell and locked him in. "Well, lovely chat. I shall see you soon. Mr. Smee, escort the princess back, please."

Mr. Smee pulled Tiger Lily off the ship and gripped her arm as the strolled back to the camp. Maria followed close behind. Her heart was beating rapidly as her hands were trembling. When she knew they were far enough away from the ship, Maria tapped Tiger Lily on the shoulder to get her attention.

Tiger Lily whipped around, aggravated and scared. She pulled her arm out of Smee's grasp and threw her fist into Maria's stomach. Maria went tumbling onto her back, grabbing her now throbbing. "Get away from me," Tiger Lily sneered.

Maria panted as she sat up and stuck her palm out. "Tiger Lily, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk."

Smee knew that he needed to let their girls have a heart to heart. "I'm going to go back to the ship," he said while strolling casually in direction of the Jolly Roger.

Once he was gone, Maria stood back up and brushed the sand off her dress. "Listen, I saw you on the ship. I saw your dad. I saw everything. What does my dad want from you?" Maria crossed her arms in front of her chest and furrowed her brows.

"I'm not supposed to tell anyone. But Hook has a plan to kill Peter. I don't know everything though."

"Well, what do you know?"

"He wants me to find out Peter's happy thought so he can take it away. And he showed me a little packet, buying don't know what it was."

"It was a drug. And if Peter takes it, he won't be able to fight back."

Tiger Lily's mouth gaped open, realizing that Hook would most likely win if she found out Peter's happy thought. "What am I going to do? I can't betray Peter, but my dad will walk the plank if I don't."

Maria sighed and scratched her head. "I don't know. I guess you have to do it. I'll just have to tell Peter what's going on."

"Okay, just don't say anything that will offend him. He will only want to prove you wrong if you do."

Maria dropped her arm and nodded to Tiger Lily. "Alright." She noticed that tiger Lily was on the verge of tears. "Hey, it's going to be okay. Peter's strong."

"Yes, but if he takes that drug, he won't be!"

"Then I'll have to make sure he doesn't take it." Maria rubbed Tiger Lily's arm gently and smiled. "Now why don't you go back home and get some rest."

Tiger Lily sniffled and smiled back. "Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem. See you later." Maria turned at the same time as Tiger Lily and trudged back to the ship and into her room. Her good mood was ruined, and she felt like flipping a table in frustration. How was she going to break the news to Peter? He always wanted to be the hero, but she knew he wouldn't win this one.

Instead of worrying about what Hook might be planning, she decided to go and find out herself. She threw on her robe so no one saw her dress and headed down to the brig. There she found the chief sitting on a metal bench with his hands still tied together. Holden at least had the decency to retie them in front on him. He was staring down at the ground, helplessly waiting for his daughter to tell Hook Peter's happy thought.

Maria couldn't believe that the strongest Indian she knew could look so weak. "Hey, Chief," Maria said softly. Taking a step towards his cell, Maria rested her arms on the metal bars. "Can I get you anything to make you more comfortable?"

"I want my FREEDOM BACK!" he boomed.

"I'm really sorry this happened to you. I wish I could release you, but I would get in a lot of trouble if I did." Maria avoided eye contact and pouted. "Why is my dad holding you in here?"

"Hook is going to make Peter suffer and then kill him. He wants to take away everything he loves. I don't know how he plans on killing him, but I know it's not good."

Maria was speechless. Hook was more cruel than she ever realized. But before she was able to say anything, the chief continued. "Listen, Maria. You must keep Peter away from here if Tiger Lily goes through with Hook's plan. If he comes here, he will die."

"He will come here even if I tell him not to. He always does because he wants to be with me. And that means I'm putting him in danger by being his girlfriend." Maria looked at the chief with watery eyes. "I don't want to be the reason he gets hurt!"

"Maria, if you sit him down, I'm sure he'll listen."

"And what if he doesn't? What if he comes here anyway?"

The chief stood up and walked over to the blubbering girl. "Shhh," he soothed. "It's alright."

"No, it's NOT! I can't let him die! He means too much to me!" Maria felt a tear slip down her cheek and wiped it away quickly.

"Well, then Tiger Lily can't find out Peter's happy thought."

"You'll walk the plank if she doesn't. And she won't let you get hurt."

"I don't care what becomes of me."

"Well, I do. You are more supportive than my dad is."

The chief smiled and gazed into Maria's eyes. "Maria, I remember when you were younger; you've come a long way. You're not the pirate you used to be."

Maria pouted at the thought of Peter walking the plank. She had to stop Hook's plan from happening. She had to save him.

After a few moments, she thought that she should check the time. She didn't want to be late for her date. So she told the chief bye and headed up the stairs to find that it was almost time. In a rush, she did one quick check in the mirror, slid her robe off, grabbed her scabbard and sword, and then ran outside onto the beach.

She waited there for him to show up for a little bit. Part of her thought he forgot about there plans. Just then someone grabbed her from behind, lifted her into the air, spun her around, and put her back on the ground. She knew it was Peter, so she refrained from punching him. Instead, she laughed.

"You ready?" Peter asked, coming around to see her face.

"Yeah," Maria said while brushing a strand of hair off her face.

Peter noticed that she was avoiding looking at him. "You okay? You seem sad."

"I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind." She looked into his eyes and tried to keep herself together.

"Let's get going then!" His hand wrapped around her's and began walking with her.

Maria couldn't help but think about Peter being hurt. She needed to break he new to him, but she didn't want to ruin his night. "Do I look nice enough?"

"You look perfect." Peter smiled and ran ahead to pull a boat ashore. Maria climbed in and sat down on the bench. Peter then pushed it back into the water and stepped in as well.

The boat ride to Skull Rock would have been nice if Maria wouldn't have been so upset. Peter didn't know what was the matter with her. But he wanted to make her feel better. Wendy never got like this, he thought. She would just say what was bothering her. The silence was killing him, so finally, he asked, "So, what did you do after you showered?"

"Well, I flew to the Mainland and got ready for our date. Then Sasha and I talked for a little while. And then I flew back here." Maria responded.

"Cool!" Peter acted like

"What did you do?"

"I set up Skull Rock for our date."

Then there was another long gap of no talking. Maria knew she was going to have to say something to Peter, but she didn't want to. _I guess now's as good as any time to break the news to him,_ she thought. As she began to open her mouth, she was interrupted by the arrival at Skull Rock.

Peter hopped out of the boat first then helped her out. As they walked into the big rock formation, the Lost Boys jumped out from every direction and yelled, "Surprise!"

Maria nearly leaped out of her skin. She hid behind Peter for protection but soon realized there was nothing to be afraid of. "What's going on?" she asked.

"It's a celebration for you!" Peter exclaimed.

"Why? It's not like I did anything." Maria folded her hands in front of her and blushed from the attention.

"We're proud of you for turning good." Peter grabbed something off the floor and held it behind his back. "We have something we want to ask you."

"Okay, go ahead."

"We were wondering if you would like to be an honorary Lost Boy?"

"Do I have to be a boy?" Maria chuckled. "Cause if so, I'm not wearing another dress again."

"How about the Lost Princess?"

"You think of me as a princess?"

"Of course! You're pretty, nice, and everything a princess should be."

"Well, I guess I would like that." Her heart melted by Peter's kind words. No one ever thought of her as a princess.

The boys all cheered. "All hail the Lost Princess!" Peter yelled. Every one of them dropped down on one knee.

"On one condition," Maria piped up. Peter raised one eyebrow. He didn't understand; she said yes! There wasn't supposed to be any conditions. "Every princess needs her prince. Peter, will you be mine?" She smiled to let him know she was hoping for a yes.

"Sure. It will be fun!" Peter smiled back, got off his knee, and placed his handmade tiara on her head. It was made of leaves and twigs. It even had a little red feather on the left side.

 _I am now a princess_ , Maria thought. _I am in way over my head._

Peter took her by the hands. "Well, my lady, are you for dinner?" he asked while taking both of her hands.

Maria looked into his eyes and lost it. She didn't want anything bad to happen to him. She didn't want to lose him. And she knew Tiger Lily had to go though with this to save her dad. Peter was going to get hurt at some point. Tears started welling up in her eyes.

Peter noticed the tears and asked, "Maria, why are you so upset? Is something wrong?"

"Boys, can you leave us alone for a minute?" Maria prompted. The boys nodded in unison and scurried off. Peter looked confused. What was so bad that she couldn't say in front of the Lost Boys?

"Okay what's going on? Are you okay?" Peter asked, really nervous.

"Not really," Maria started. "When I got back here tonight, I saw my dad talking to Tiger Lily. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I did talk to to Tiger Lily afterwards. Apparently, she is going to have to find out your happy thought so Hook can use it against you. And you have to tell her because if you don't, my dad has the chief held captive in the brig and he'll make him walk the plank." Maria was about to cry just thinking of Peter Pan, the boy who stole her heart, dead.

"Eh. Your dad has tried to kill me before and it didn't work. Why would it now?" Peter wasn't scared of Hook.

"Peter, all I'm saying is, you need to lay low for a little while."

"Maria, don't worry. I'm going to save the Chief and fix this whole thing. That way, you won't be upset, and nothing bad will happen." Peter started to walk off, but Maria grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.

"No! You can't! If my dad sees you, you're dead!"

"I'll be fine!"

"Peter, you can't be a hero right now!"

"I don't know why you're so worried! I've never lost against Hook!"

"Really? Cause you've lost every fight since you broke your arm! And you're still too weak to fight!"

Peter, out of anger, drew his knife and swung at Maria. She pulled her sword out just in time and blocked Peter's blow. Peter continued come at her until she was against the rock wall. Then he flung her sword out of her grasp and pressed his knife against her chest. "Guess I'm not as weak as you think I am."

"Peter," Maria sighed. "You haven't won in a while! You can't face my dad yet."

"You think I'm losing because I'm too weak? I haven't won because I can't. If I win, that means your dad gets hurt. And I can't be the reason you're an orphan."

"Why are you so blinded by pride that you can't just accept that my dad is stronger than you right now?"

"I'm not blinded by my pride. I'm just too good for your dad!"

"Oh my gosh, Peter! Would you just _GROW UP_ for a minute and realize that you're not invincible! You're a boy! And newsflash, boys can die!"

Peter felt as if his heart had been stabbed by a knife. "You know, if you didn't like me, all you had to do was say so!"

"Peter, I'm-"

"Save it!" He didn't want to hear her ask forgiveness. "I should have known. All pirates are mean!"

"Really? What about Mr. Smee? He has never been mean to you!"

"He's the only pirate that isn't that mean!"

"What about me?" Maria asked softly.

"You're mean too! And to think I actually could keep you from turning bad like your mom wanted." He then turned to the opening of Skull Rock. "I'm sorry, Emily, but I can't keep my promise! She's just as bad as Hook."

"How could you say that? I've been nothing but nice to you!"

"Really? Because the that night you hurt your ankle, you were going to try to hurt me!"

"That's only because I didn't know you back then! I would never do that now! I've changed!"

"No you haven't! If you had changed, you wouldn't have told me to grow up!" Peter yelled.

"I was only trying to get you to be realistic! I don't want someone else I love getting killed!"

"You don't love me! Pirates don't know how to. They are only capable hurting people!"

Maria lunged for her sword and held it tightly in her hand. "Take it back," Maria grunted as she brandished her sword at him.

Peter ducked below the sword. "I won't, cause I'm right!" Peter swung at her again, slicing her shoulder open. She grasped it to protect it from further harm and whimpered quietly. "I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore if you're going to freak out every time your dad has a plan to kill me!"

"Then don't be!" Maria hissed. "I don't want to be your girlfriend if you won't take what I say seriously.. Here, take your stupid tiara and your stupid kiss!" She ripped both items from her body and threw them to the ground.

Peter scooped up her kiss gently in his hands.

"I do have one question, though," she stated. "Why do you have my mom's coat, and why is there blood on the sleeves?"

Peter sighed. Why was she being so annoying? It was supposed to be a nice night, but she ruined it. "She gave it to me right before I killed her."

"You killed her?" Maria gasped. "No…no you didn't. You wouldn't have!"

"I did."

Maria lunged at him and knocked him off his feet. They both landed on the rocky floor, but Maria climbed on top of him and pressed down on his shoulders. "Why would you do that?" she shouted.

Peter grunted as he reached for his knife. And when he grabbed it, he swung it at her and sliced her on the arm. She howled in pain as she grabbed it instinctively. Burning pain fled through her entire arm Peter then kicked her in the stomach, sending her tumbling head-first into a boulder. He quickly got up and walked to the shaking girl. Her arm was bleeding from her wrist to he bicep. He didn't mean for her to get that hurt, but she deserved it for ruining his night.

Breathing heavily, she pinned her arm to her chest and scooted back as Peter approached her. She was absolutely terrified of him, not sure if he would kill her or show her mercy. She finally saw what her father saw in him-evil. Tears streamed down her cheeks, dropping off her jaw and landing on her chest. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest and torn into pieces.

Peter crossed his arms stubbornly and contorted his face into a scowl. "Boys, come on! Let's get outta here!" Peter shouted. They came piling out of a secret passage and followed him into the boat. All of them glanced at Maria as they passed her. Slightly stopped in his tracks when he saw Maria like that. She looked away, not wanting to talk to him. He then continued to the boat, grabbing one of the ores and rowing.

Maria looked up to see that they were leaving without her. "Wait! What about me?" she yelled.

"Sorry! There's no room for traitors!" Peter retorted.

"I'm the traitor?" she asked while standing up. "You killed my mom!"

"Sorry, not sorry!"

Maria frowned and stuck her tongue out at them. She couldn't believe that they were leaving her stranded at Skull Rock. After watching them disappear into the horizon, Maria broke down in tears and dropped down onto her knees. Never had she had so many emotions wash over her. Anger. Hate. Sadness. Relief.

At least he was no longer her problem. If he was stupid and went to the ship, she wasn't responsible for his death.

…

After waiting for hours to be rescued, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, tired from their fight. When she woke up, the sun had begun to rise and Holden was crouching down next to her. "What are you still doing here," he asked, pulling her up to her feet. "What happened to your arm?"

Instead of telling him what happened, tears crawled down her cheeks. But that was enough to make Holden realize that their date did not end well.

He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, careful not to touch her arm. "Come on. Let's get you home."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The next day went on like nothing ever happened between Maria and Peter. He went all around the island looking for a new adventure. A few times he thought about messing with the pirates but didn't want to see Maria. He was still pretty hurt from what she said the night before.

Maria, however, was not looking for any adventure. She took a nap until noon, got ready for the day, and then went straight doing chores. She pulled out a broom a dust pan out of the closet, wincing every time she moved her arm, and started sweeping the kitchen. Her heart still ached, and so did her head.

Just then, Mr. Smee walked into the room. "Hey, Maria. How are you?" he asked, clueless about what happened.

"Not too good," she mumbled, avoiding eye contact. "All I can think about is Peter."

"And that's bad?"

"Yes! I'm sure he's already moved on to a mermaid or whatever! But here I am, heartbroken!"

"Wait, why are you heartbroken?"

"Peter and I got into a huge fight last night and broke up. I told him to grow up because he wasn't listening to me. And I know I shouldn't have said what I said but I was trying to protect him!"

"Oh. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Her voice was so low, he could barely hear her.

"You know what he's going to do, right?" Smee stepped closer to her.

"Yeah." Maria sighed. "But he's just going to have to save himself this time. I'm tired of doing it."

"Maria!" Smee scolded. "You know without his happy thought, he is no match for your father."

"I don't care what happens to him! He broke my heart and killed my mom! Plus, look at my arm. He deserves to get hurt!" She flung the broom away and stormed out of the kitchen, feeling even worse than before.

"Maria," he cooed as she left the room. Smee was worried about her. He knew she was to upset to think straight so he didn't go after her. But he didn't know how she found out about her mom.

Maria needed some time to be alone so she went somewhere nobody would bother her-the crow's nest. She sat up there for a while, just looking at the island. It was the only thing that could sooth her when she was that upset.

After a few hours, Hook came up to check on her. "Love, what's wrong?" he asked. "You've been up here for a while."

"I'm just going through a hard time right now," she replied. There was no way she was going to tell Hook about her break up or knowing how Emily died. First of all, it was embarrassing, and second of all, it would get her in trouble.

"Well I have a surprise for you!" Hook sat down next to her and took her by the hand. He wanted, no, needed, to see her smile again. Her happiness was the most important thing to him.

"Really? what?" She wiped away her tears. She knew what it was but acted dumb.

"I have a plan to get back at Peter Pan for everything he has done to us,"

"What is it?" she asked, actually excited to hear what it was from the person who planned it.

"I'm going to take away his happy thought and then kill him. And if my plan works, we'll rule this island, and you can be the princess of Neverland."

"I don't know. Being a princess sounds like a lot of work," she joked.

"Well, if I can pull this off, then nobody can be mean to you ever again. Cause if they are, they get to walk the plank."

"I guess that sounds nice," she admitted. Sure, she didn't want innocent people to get hurt, but if they deserved to walk the plank, then they should.

"That's my girl!" Hook said proudly. "Now, do you want to help me make sure this plan will work?"

After thinking about it, Maria knew this was the right thing to do. All Peter had ever done was cause trouble. "Sure! What can I do?" A wicked grin spread on her face.

"Invite the Lost Boys over for dinner."

"Why?"

"Because I am going to trick them into becoming pirates. That will kill Peter if he thinks that they'd rather be pirates than be with him!"

"Dad, that's brilliant!" She was surprised. It never came to her mind that all Peter ever wanted was to be loved. Since he was locked out of his house, he felt abandoned. If the boys left, he wouldn't have anyone left to love him.

"I know. Now, why don't you get going? I'll start making dinner."

Maria smirked and climbed down the rope ladder. But before she got anywhere, she caught Smee scowling at her. Rolling her eyes, she went to her room, got her sword, and then went onto the beach. From there, she started her journey to Hangman's Tree.

The whole way, she was on the lookout for any sign of Peter. But luckily, she didn't not run into him. When she finally arrived, she knocked on the door while gripping her sword tightly.

Slightly opened the door and frowned when he saw Maria. "What do you want?" he growled.

"Peter isn't here, is he?" she asked, looking around to make sure the coast was clear.

"No. He hasn't been here all day. I think he went to the Indian camp to talk to Tiger Lily."

Maria stopped herself from smiling too much. "Well, do you have any plans for dinner?"

"No, why?"

"How would you like to eat with me and my dad on the ship tonight?"

"No way!" he refused. "It's a trap!"

"What? No it's not!" Maria said as calmly as she could. "My dad is trying to be nicer to you guys. Plus, you know I won't let you get hurt."

"When has your dad ever wanted to be nice? He's a pirate!"

Maria snarled at the boy. She couldn't understand why everyone thought that pirates were horrible, awful people. Peter thought that they weren't capable of loving others, and the boys didn't think that pirates could even be nice. It was getting very annoying to Maria. But she had to keep her composure. "If you come, I'll tell you a story!" She knew that would work.

"What story?" Slightly asked.

"Any story you want!"

He wasn't sure what to do. The last thing he wanted to do was make Peter mad. "I don't know. What if Peter-"

"Guys, it's just dinner! He won't care!"

He was finally convinced. "I don't know…"

"Trust me. He will not care. Plus, if he did, why isn't he here making dinner for you guys.

Slightly shrugged. She had a point there. "Okay. We'll go!"

"Great!" Maria was getting a little nervous for a second. She was running out of things to say. "Let's get going then! We don't want to keep my dad waiting."

They followed her all the way back to the ship. Along the way, she kept them entertained by playing I spy with my little eye. They seemed to like it, which made Maria happy. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

As soon as they got to the ship, Maria led them into the game room and had them play pool while she told Hook that she was back. Hook hurriedly came into the room and put a pleasant expression on his face. "Hello, boys! How are you doing?"

Slightly set his stick down and turned to Hook. The rest of the boys hid behind him, terrified that he was going to hurt him. "Fine," Slightly replied sternly. "Why are we really here?"

"Can't I just want to have you over for dinner?" Hook took one step towards them, but the boys stepped away.

"No! You always want something!"

"Boys, I've changed my ways! I thought you would like a nice meal. But if you don't want steak, you don't have to stay." Most of the boys lit up, especially Cubby, who was always wanting a nice meal. Slightly wasn't buying any of it. He knew something was up.

"We'll stay for dinner!" Cubby exclaimed. He started to walk toward Hook when he was pulled back by Slightly.

"Are you crazy? He'll poison us!"

"No he won't! I want steak!"

"We shouldn't even be here! What if Peter finds out? Do you know how mad he'll be? We'll be banished forever!" Slightly stomped his foot on the floor and balled up his fists. They had to leave before something bad happened.

"Peter won't banish us! We just won't tell him. I want my steak!" Cubby brushed past him and joined Maria and Hook.

"We want steak too!" The Rabbit Twins said at the same time.

"We can't trust pirates. They're mean," Slightly stated.

"Um, excuse me?" Maria interrupted. She was tired of the negative stereotypes.

"You broke Peter's heart!" He pointed at her and frowned.

Maria quickly glanced at Hook and then at Slightly. She stormed over to him and gripped the collar of his shirt. "You say anything about last night, and I will hurt you," she mumbled. Then she released him and composed herself again. Her heart was still aching from the fight-and her shoulder-and she didn't want to even think about it

"I'm sorry, Hook, but we don't want your steak," Slightly said.

"Yes we do!" Cubby argued. "Everyone wants it except you!" Tootles even nodded yes in agreement.

Slightly eventually gave in and agreed to stay. Hook led all the kids into the mess where the feast was waiting for them. Maria was shocked when she entered the room. The once dusty, overused room looked so elegant. The chandelier now hung proudly from the ceiling and illuminated the room with a golden glow. The eight chairs on the sides of the table had been wiped down so well that the wood shined.

Maria sat next to Tootles, so she could help him cut the steak into chewable pieces. Seated next to her was her father, and then it was Cubby on the other side him. All of the rest of the Lost Boys sat on the other side of the table. Slightly crossed his arms and slouched in his chair.

Even though he was impressed with the effort to make things perfect-the utensils were properly placed, the best plates were used, and there were freshly picked flowers on the center of the table-he wouldn't dare eat his food. He knew better than to trust Hook. He had tried to kill them too many times.

After a while, Hook asked, "How is everything, so far?" The kids all raved on and on about how delicious it was, except for Slightly, who barely touched his food. "Well I'm glad you liked it! You know, if you were willing to become pirates, you could have meals like this every night!"

"I knew it," Slightly mumbled.

"Really?" Cubby asked excitedly. Slightly reached over to Cubby and flicked him on the head. Maria sighed, seeing that Slightly wouldn't relax.

"Of course! I would make sure everything was perfect for you!" Hook delicately cut a piece of his steak and stuffed it in his mouth.

Slightly was getting uncomfortable now; his stomach churned, and he was feeling worse and worse the longer he stayed. "Guys, shouldn't we be going home soon? I don't want Peter to worry."

"We'll go later," Nibs stated. "It's kinda fun being here!"

Slightly frowned, shoved his chair back, and stood up, angry that no one was realizing the danger they were in. "I'm going to get some fresh air." Without another thought, he stomped out of the mess and outside.

Maria and Hook exchanged glances but kept eating. They didn't want to cause a scene. But Hook had to get all of them on his side. If one stayed loyal to Peter, he wouldn't be as sad; it was important that he gained Slightly's trust.

After they finished eating, Hook rang a tiny, gold bell, telling Smee to come in with desert. And the a two-tier cake with purple icing was pushed in by the plump man Maria made eye contact with him and looked down instantly, feeling guilty for doing this to Peter. But she knew this was the right the to do.

Smee cut the cake quickly and served it to everyone at the table. Hook began to cut it with his fork but never put it in his mouth. He watched as Maria began to dab her finger in the icing. He had forgotten to tell her not to eat the cake. She didn't know there were barbiturate berries in it. Slyly, he pushed her hand down onto the table and shook his head no.

Maria frowned in confusion, not understanding. "What?" she asked.

"Trust me," he whispered so quietly that she could barely hear him. "You don't want to eat it."

She wiped her finger on the napkin and folded her hands on her lap.

"Why don't you go take Slightly a piece of cake?" he said with much more jolliness in his voice.

Maria nodded, took a piece from Smee, and causally strolled outside. Slightly was leaning against the railing, gazing at the island. The Indians had a bonfire going, and fairies danced around the island, creating a beautiful scene. He was so focused on the island that he didn't even notice Maria had joined him. "Want some cake?" she asked gently.

Slightly flinched when she spoke but calmed down quickly. "No thanks," he mumbled.

Maria pouted and leaned against the railing with him. "You have to be hungry! You didn't eat any of your steak."

Slightly sighed and glanced at Maria. "I just want to get outta here before something bad happens."

"What do you think's going to happen?"

"I don't know! But I don't want to find out!"

Maria put her arm around his shoulders and squeezed him tightly. "I won't let you get hurt. Just because I stopped dating Peter, doesn't mean I don't like you! We're still friends!"

"I dunno," Slightly mumbled while turning to her. "Something just isn't the same now." He clasped his hands together and pulled away from her.

"Well, I'll prove to you that you're not going to get hurt by eating this cake." She grabbed a fist full in her hand and shoved it in her mouth. As she chewed, she tasted something familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Then she realized what it was-barbiturate berries. The only problem was that she couldn't spit it out! She had to swallow it so Slightly would eat it.

Once the cake was down her throat, she smiled and shrugged. "See? Nothing happened." _Not yet, anyway,_ she thought silently. "It's really good! You need to try it!" She had to get him to eat it before she fell asleep, or else he would figure out that those berries were in there.

"I'm really not that hungry. Plus, you ate almost half of it!" Slightly chuckled. "Go ahead and eat the rest of it." He smiled and leaned back on the railing.

Maria's eyelids were getting heavy. "Really, I want you have it! It's super sweet! And I know you like sweets!"

Slightly shrugged and took the plate from her. He scooped a little bit of the cake in his hand and put it into his mouth.

"Oh, c'mon! I'm a girl and ate more than that. Eat the rest of it in one bite!" Maria prompted.

Slightly swallowed what was in his mouth and then ate straight off the plate, picking up the rest of it in one bite and chewing it. Maria felt dizzy and leaned against the rail for support. Slightly licked his lips and smiled. But within a few minutes, both of them were asleep on the deck.

Eventually, Hook came out and saw that the cake worked on not only Slightly, but it also worked on his daughter. Sighing, he told Holden to put her to bed while carrying Slightly into his office. After putting Slightly on his own cot, he changed him into some fresh clothes and brushed his matted hair, just like he had done to the other boys.

To make sure the boys wouldn't escape while he was gone, he tied their hands to the cots' wooden frame using soft rope. He also covered them each up with blankets, hoping that would make them not realize they were trapped. After that, he walked out of the room and locked the door behind him to be safe.

…

Maria woke up about three hours later, all cozy in her bed. She gazed out her window and rubbed her eyes lazily. She hated the way those berries made her feel-weak and exhausted.

She kicked the covers off of her and sat up, taking in a deep breath. Then she remembered the boys had eaten the cake as well. With a sudden burst of energy, she raced out of her room and around the ship until she found her dad. "Hey," she said pleasantly. "What's new?"

Hook took a swig of whiskey and smiled at Maria. "I know Pan's happy thought!"

"Really, what is it?" Maria crossed her arms. She was always wanted to know his happy thought, so finally getting to here it was super exciting.

"Wendy." Hook set his flask down and chuckled. "I should've known! He loves her so much! But that works great for me because she died!"

"He's going to be heart broken when he finds out," Maria mumbled. Though she was excited to get back at him for breaking her heart, she knew that would kill him to find that out. "Did Tiger Lily tell you?"

"Yeah."

"Is the chief back home then?"

Hook laughed to himself and then turned his head towards Maria. "No, he's still in the brig. I want to make sure Tiger Lily is telling me the truth, so I'm keeping him until I kill Peter."

Maria froze when he said "kill." She knew that would happen to him once Hook took away his happy thought, but it sent chills down her spine actually hearing him say it. Yeah, she was totally upset with Peter, but did he deserve to die? He was just a boy; he just wanted to have fun. Before Maria had any more time to think about the subject, Hook stood up straight and tucked his flask into his coat pocket.

"Well, we better go check on the boys." He began to walk away but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Dad, what are we going to do with the boys once we kill Peter?" she questioned.

"Make them walk the plank or turn them into our slaves," he said simply. He continued walking to his office and unlocked the door. As soon as he stepped in the room, the boys began to stir in their sleep. Maria went over to Tootles and stroked his untangled hair.

Slightly woke up first, feeling dizzy and tired. Hook walked over to him and offered him a nice, fake smile. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

"You passed out after desert," he explained. Slightly attempted to sit up something was holding his hands down. He peered down at his body and found that he wasn't wearing his fox suit. "I changed your clothes while you were out. I hope you don't mind."

"Why did you do that?" he interrogated.

"Because I thought it would make you happy! You see, I'm not the man I used to be. I've changed."

Slightly rolled his eyes and tried to move his wrists, but they wouldn't budge. Panicking, his heartbeat quickened along with his breathing. "I knew this was a trap!" he grumbled. "I should've left when I had the chance." He kicked his blanket down below his waist and struggled to get his hands free from the rope.

"Slightly, it's okay!" Hook cooed. "You're not trapped." He bent down slowly and used his hook to slice the ropes. "I didn't want you to roll out of bed and hurt yourself, so I tied you down. That way, you couldn't."

Slightly shimmied away from Hook as soon as he was free. "I don't believe you!" he hissed. Hook took a step toward him but Slightly backed up even more. "Stay away from me."

Hook obeyed and pouted. "I'm sorry if I frightened you. I was trying to make this a nice night for you boys."

Slightly turned to look at the boys, who were all awake and admiring their new clothes. Maria had finished untying their hands, and they had no idea what Hook had done to them. They all were happy and content. They didn't care that Peter might've been searching the island, which confused Slightly. He looked up at Hook and then down at the ground. "Um, I think we need to get going. Peter's going to be worried."

The boys all sighed and complained. "Slightly, would you chill out about Peter? He hasn't even been around all day!" Cubby whined.

"Yeah! It's kinda nice here! We were fed, and we got new clothes!" Nibs added.

"Hook even gave us cots to sleep on! At home we sleep in hammocks! This is way better," said the twins.

Hook smiled and walked next to Maria, who was rocking back and forth on her feet. "Boys, can I ask you a serious question?"

Slightly snarled and rolled his eyes. "What?"

"Does Peter love you?"

"Of course he does!" Slightly retorted.

"Really? Because it doesn't sound like it."

"Well, he does!" Slightly crossed his arms and frowned.

"Has he ever told you that he loves you?"

Slightly looked down, trying to recall a time that Peter had said he loved them. Suddenly, he realized that he had never said that word about him. "Well…"

Cubby frowned. "Not that I can remember."

Tootles shook his head no while wiping away a tear.

The twins even couldn't think of a time. It hurt Slightly worse than it did any of the other boys. He curled up into a ball and hugged his knees close to his chest. Tears started to stream down his cheeks, making Hook come into action. "Oh, there, there," he soothed while sitting down next to him. He pulled out his handkerchief and blotted away his tears. Slightly sniffled as he looked into Hook's blue eyes. But this time, he wasn't afraid; rather, he felt like Hook genuinely cared about him.

"You know," Hook began, "if I were in charge of you, I would tell you I love you everyday. But I know you lads are loyal to Peter."

"If we wanted to change leaders, could we join your crew?" Cubby asked.

"Well, of course! You boys are always welcome!"

"Well, then, I would like to join." Cubby stood up and saluted to Hook.

"Me too!" Nibs shouted while copying Cubby's position.

The twins stood up, saluted, and smiled. Tootles also saluted to Hook. The only one who hesitated was Slightly. He still was apprehensive about joining Hook's crew. He still didn't want to leave Peter, but he saw that his life would be pretty good if he stayed.

Maria smiled at him to assure him that everything would be okay if he said yes. And it seemed to work. "Well, I guess I can give the pirates' life a try," he said. "But if I change my mind, can I go back?"

Hook smiled. "Trust me, you won't want to once you realize you're completely safe here."

Slightly stood up confidently and saluted to his new captain. Although his heart told him not to join Hook's crew, his mind told him to give it a try. Hook smiled wickedly and adjusted his coat. His plan was working. Now al he had to do was get Peter there. But he figured that Peter would come looking for the boys sooner or later. Hopefully, it would be sooner.

Maria smiled proudly at Hook; he was going to win for sure. Peter didn't stand a chance against him without his happy thought. Flying was really what made him able to win all those times. Finally, Hook and Maria were going to get their happy ending.

"Hey, Maria," Nibs said. "Can you tell us our story now? You promised you would!"

Maria's smiled widened, and she plopped down in front of the cots. "Sure! Which one do you want?"

"Something new!" Cubby exclaimed.

"How about a story about Hook?" Slightly suggested.

"Alright," Maria agreed. And so she began. She told what she knew about her dad, and he would fill in any gaps. Of course, Maria made him sound like a great guy, making his enemies sound like total jerks. Even Peter was made out to be a villain, which he was to her at the moment.

Once she finished her story, they begged for another one. Hook laughed and decided that he should go to bed. He could feel that he would need to be awake early. He kissed each of the boys on the head, told them goodnight, and then went to his room.

Maria then began another story about Cinderella. Within ten minutes, the boys had all fallen back asleep, allowing Maria to leave the room and head to the kitchen for a snack. But on her way, someone grabbed shoulders and dragged her into the closet. They stepped in with her and shut the door behind them. She panicked and drew her sword, ready for a fight. "Who's there?" she demanded.

"Oh, calm down! It's just me!" Holden whispered.

"Why did you pull me in here?" She crossed her arms and pursed her lips, letting him know that she was mad, even though they were in complete darkness.

"What happened last night? You're not acting like yourself."

Maria sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Peter and I broke up. I told him to grow up because he was being stupid. And he told me he killed my mom."

"He did?"

"Yep."

Holden ran his fingers through his hair. "Okay, but why are you helping Hook? Don't you know what he's up to?"

"I don't care what happens to Peter! He deserves what's coming."

"Maria, snap out of it! I know you still care."

"I really don't!"

Holden didn't want to have to threaten her, but it always worked on her. So he quickly grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the wall. "I get that you're hurting, but you can't go back to the way you were. You've changed too much."

"What if I want to go back to the way I was?" Maria spat.

"I know deep down, you think this is wrong. And I'm not brave enough to save Peter. The only one who can is you!"

Maria stood there, tears trying their best to come out. She couldn't believe what she had done. Peter was going to get hurt because of her. It was almost too much too handle. Her hands trembled in fear, and then a tear slipped from her eye. "What have I done?" Maria asked quietly.

Holden released her wrists and wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his chest. He tried to sooth her, but she wouldn't stop. "Listen, Peter's probably going to be here tonight. If you're the lookout, you can warn him."

"I don't know if I can face him."

"If you don't, he'll be dead by morning."

Maria sighed. "He killed my mom."

Holden felt sorry for her. No one should have to face their parent's murder. "I get that it's hard. But your mom is already dead. Peter isn't."

"And I don't want to lose him." Maria stated. "I have to keep him from talking to Hook. Otherwise, he's done for."

Holden patted her on the back and gave her one last squeeze before opening the door. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," Maria said while wiping away her tears. She was exhausted emotionally from the last two days, but she knew she had to keep it together. Peter's life depended on her being strong. So she sucked it up and grabbed the things she would need to stay awake and headed up to the crow's nest. Instantly, she rummaged through her bag and got out a coloring book and colored pencils. She flipped through the pages until she found one she liked and began coloring, trying to get rid of her after hours and hours of sitting and doing nothing, Maria accidentally dozed off. She really tried not to, but she couldn't stay awake any longer.

…

Meanwhile, Peter was searching for the boys. It was the middle of the night, but he wouldn't rest until he found them. He flew laps around the island, calling their names as loud as he could. But as he went on, he began to sink lower to the ground, and his voice was getting more hoarse and scratchy. Eventually, he landed roughly on the beach. He looked at the ship and knew the boys had to be there. He had checked literally everywhere else.

He held on to the handle of his dagger as he walked aboard. If he was being honest, he was terrified. He was terrified about the boys most of all. He didn't want them hurt or dead. Even though his gut told him not to, he went all the way down to the brig to check if they were there, but the only one down there was the chief.

"Flying Eagle?" he whispered. "What are you doing here?" The chief stood up and went to the cell door. "You shouldn't be here!"

Peter sprinted over to him and looked down at the lock. "I'm trying to find the boys; they're not at the hideout." He turned around to where the keys were normally hung, but they were not there. "I gotta get you outta here," he whispered. Fiddling with his knife, he stuck it onto the keyhole and tried to pick the lock. But he had no luck. "Where are the keys?" he asked while putting his knife away.

"With Hook," the chief responded. "But you can't try to get them. You must stay away from Hook, no matter what."

"I'm not going to leave you in here!"

"You have to, or you'll die."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone think that I'm incapable of protecting myself? First it was Maria, now it's you!"

"I don't want you to get hurt. And I'm sure that's what Maria wants too."

"I don't think she cares anymore. I wouldn't blame her after what I did to her." Guilt creeped into Peter's conscious, but he quickly pushed it aside.

"Peter, just please go before Hook sees you!"

Peter sighed and backed away from the cell. "Fine. I'll leave." Aggravated, Peter stormed out of the brig and outside, where the smell of the ocean calmed him down. But he jolted out of his skin when he heard a noise coming from above him. He hesitated before flying up to the noise. Luckily, it was just Maria, who was snoring loudly.

Chuckling, he crouched down next to her. He poked her but she didn't wake up. "Maria?" He crossed his arms and though about what he should do. Then he saw her arm and swallowed the large lump in his throat. Even though he was very mad at her, he couldn't just leave her out there. So he scooped the sleeping girl in his arms and carried her inside and in her room. He laid her down gently on her bed and covered her up with a blanket.

Then he gazed his fingers over her wounded arm and cringed at what he had done. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry about your mom and your arm. I never will hurt you again. I promise." He bent over her and kissed her on the forehead. But before he left, he remembered that he still had her kiss in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out and laid it on her nightstand.

Wiping away tears, he stood up straight and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Unfortunately, he closed it too hard, making Hook wake up from his peaceful slumber.

Once Peter got to the main mast, he crashed down onto his knees and buried his face in his hands. He couldn't believe that he broke his promise to Emily. He was supposed to take care of Maria, but all he did was hurt her. "I'm sorry, Emily," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry!" Tears crawled down his flushed cheeks. A hand gently touched his shoulder, but he didn't even flinch.

"Lad, what's wrong?"

Peter knew that the voice belonged to Hook. In a panic, Peter fumbled for his knife and stood up, turning to face his adversary. Although, he couldn't see him that well through the tears.

"Why are you crying?" Hook frowned and feigned concern. "I haven't seen you this upset before. Are you thinking about Wendy?"

Peter shook his head no, weirded out by Hook not attacking him.

"Thinking about your parents?"

"No," Peter choked out. "I just miss Emily, that's all." Peter put away his knife, seeing that he wasn't in danger.

"Oh," Hook grumbled. "Well, I miss her too."

Peter looked down sadly and sniffled. "I'm sorry I killed her," he whispered. "I never meant to-"

Hook held up his hand and smiled. "I know. It was an accident. And I hate to have to tell you this, but there's something you should know about Wendy." Peter looked up with fearful eyes. "Wendy passed away."

Peter gasped and fought back tears. "How?"

"Old age. Maria told me she died in her sleep."

"Could I have saved her?"

"Well, if you had taken her back here, she wouldn't have grown up and she probably would still be with us."

Peter's lip quivered uncontrollably, and he let the tears flow freely then. He had no idea she needed him! And now he really didn't have a mother. It was too much to handle. Wendy was his happy thought, and he felt completely alone at that moment.

Hook, seeing that Peter was devastated, decided that it was a good time to carry out the rest of his plan. "Would you like a drink?" he asked sweetly.

Peter nodded his head yes. "Water," he mumbled.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Hook strolled into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. And then he pulled the little packet he showed Tiger Lily from his pocket and sliced it open with his hook, spilling the powder into the cup. After he was sure all of it went into the water, he stirred it with his finger and walked back outside. "Here you go!"

Peter took it in both hands and looked into what seemed like harmless water. He took a sip of it and sat down, feeling completely safe. Hook sat down next to him, happy that Peter was so trusting. Boy, he would regret that after a few minutes.

And then, once Peter had drank about half of the water, his head began to throb and a thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead. His vision also blurred, and he felt sick to his stomach. Hook smiled when he saw that it was working.

Peter set his drink down on the deck. Something wasn't right. "I should, um, get back to looking for the boys," he stuttered. "Thanks for keeping me company." Trying to get up, he braced himself on Hook's shoulder. But when he took a step forward, his legs buckled underneath him, making Hook spring up to catch him.

"You alright?" Hook asked, knowing the answer. He wrapped his arms around the weak boy and stabilized him.

"I can't walk," Peter mumbled.

"Good." Quickly, he dropped his arms.

Peter fell to the ground and glanced up at Hook, confused as ever. "Wait, what?"

"You really should know better than to take drinks from pirates." Hook casually walked away from peter, who was struggling to get up. "And you shouldn't be so trusting. That's how you end up in situations like this!" Hook bent over and picked up a coarse piece of rope and came back over to him.

Peter managed to get up on his hands and knees but collapsed back down when Hook ripped one of his arms out from underneath him. Peter grunted as his chest landed on the hard deck. He tried to get away from Hook but was too weak.

Hook grabbed Peter's other arm and pinned his wrist on top of the other one. He then wrapped the rope around the two and tied them so tightly that Peter cringed from the pain. Once his wrists were secure, he moved on to Peter's ankles, again, tying them too tightly.

"Hook, stop." Peter watched helplessly as he finished tying the knot. "Please, don't do this!" His words were getting harder and harder to get out. Whatever he had drank was really messing with him.

Hook glowered at him and then moved closer to his face. Picking him up, he slammed his against the mast, letting him sink down. Peter put on his bravado, but quickly lost it when Hook raised his hook up to his chest. "You took away my wife, so I'm going to take away your life," Hook whispered through gritted teeth.

"You don't scare me. Good wins every time!"

"Well, it won't this time." And with that, Hook dug the tip of his hook into Peter's chest and created a straight, diagonal line, making him cry out in agony. Then, he put it on the other side of the whimpering boy's chest and made another diagonal line, creating an X. Hook grinned and cackled. "X marks the spot!"

Peter, who was shaking in fear, gathered up the last of his strength and kicked his feet into Hook's stomach. Hook tumbled backwards in pain but retaliated soon after. Yanking Peter's knife out of his belt, Hook thrusted the dagger into Peter's leg.

Peter stared down at his own knife penetrating his left thigh and at the blood seeping out of his injury.

"Let's see how well you can kick me now." Hook removed the knife from Peter's leg and threw it a few feet away, purposely letting it taunt him. "Well, I'm gonna go to bed," he said while standing up. "Sweet dreams!"

Hook walked away from the crying boy and entered his room with a pep in his step. He finally did it! He finally got Peter Pan for good this time!

Peter waited for Hook to leave and then bursted into tears. Wendy was dead, Maria hated him, and he couldn't find the boys. His life was going to end the next day because no one would save him. His heart sunk at the thought of dying. Dying always freaked him out because once he died, he couldn't come back. He quickly fell asleep, still crying, still alone, still done-fore.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Peter was woken up by getting icy cold water splashed on his face. His eyes shot wide open and he shook his head wildly to get the water out of his hair. "What was that for?" he shouted before realizing he was surrounded by pirates. he looked up timidly at the pirates who were standing in a crowd around him.

It took him a second to remember what had happened to him the night before. For some reason, he couldn't remember all the details, but he remembered enough. Gazing down at his leg, he gasped at the sight of his torn skin. Even the slightest movement sent shooting pain all the way down to his ankle.

But before he had much time to concentrate on his leg, footsteps sounded across the ship. Assuming it was Hook, Peter took in a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst day of his life.

As Hook rounded the corner, he fiddled with his double hook. Purposely trying to intimidate Peter. "Morning! Sleep well?" Hook crouched down to him and flashed a wicked smile.

Peter let out an animalistic growl in response. He hated the fact that he couldn't run his knife through Hook's chest. Being trapped was pretty much the worst feeling in the world for Peter. He couldn't fly or fight, two things he loved to do.

"I'm assuming that was a no," Hook chuckled. "Well, I thought we would have a little fun today! Bring it over!" Hook stood up and moved out of the way.

Holden drug a chest over to Peter's feet and set it down carefully, trying not to damage anything in there. He then glanced at Peter and offered him a smile of encouragement.

Peter sat up straighter to see what was in the open chest and watched as Hook pulled out an old teddy bear-his teddy bear. He gulped, not wanting anything bad to happen to his favorite stuffed animal.

"This is adorable!" Hook exclaimed. "Where'd you get this?"

Peter looked down, embarrassed. "Wendy," he grumbled.

"Awe! Well, then it would be a shame if something happened to it." And as he spoke he used his hook to rip the bear's stomach open.

Peter bit his lip, trying to keep himself from yelling. He couldn't let Hook make him upset; he had to stay strong. Although, it was really hard to stay strong when he watched his stuffed animal get thrown into the ocean.

"Let's see what else you have in here," Hook said while picking up Peter's pan flute. "I've always liked the sound of this. I wonder what it would sound like after it's been smashed into little pieces. You want to find out?"

Peter frowned. "Not really."

"Too bad!" Hook dropped the flute on the floor and stomped on it as hard as he could, breaking it in half. Then he stomped on it again and again until there were at least one hundred pieces scattered around Peter. He gazed down at the pieces and took in another deep breath. Seeing his stuff get destroyed was a lot harder than he thought it would be.

"Why are you so mean?" Peter questioned.

"You made me who I am today! I was happy with my life on the mainland. But then I met you. The first time I laid my eyes on you, I knew you were trouble! And you proved me right when you stole my treasure."

"I needed the money to get food," Peter interrupted.

"Wait," Holden chimed in. "You guys knew each other before you came here?"

"Yes," Hook answered. He turned back to Peter and continued. "I could've killed you easily back on the mainland because you didn't know how to fight or fly. But instead, I showed you mercy! I let you have my leftovers because I knew you were just a sad little boy who had nobody to love him! I took you off the street and let you sleep in my room. And how did you repay me? You stole my treasure, again! And then I made the mistake of following you here. That's when you ruined my life for good-first by cutting my hand off, then by sinking my ship, and finally by killing my wife!"

"That was an accident!" Peter shouted. "You know I loved Emily like a mother. And if you hadn't kidnapped me, she would still be here!"

"You're the one who stabbed her!"

Peter opened his mouth to argue, but before he could get any words out, Hook smacked Peter across the cheek with his hook, hitting him with such force that his head twisted as far as it would go. Peter shrieked from the stinging pain.

Hook sighed and rubbed his forehead. Peter adjusted his self and cringed, trying to get more comfortable. Noticing that he was in pain, Smee, who was standing next to Hook, walked over to him and frowned. "You okay?"

Peter shook his head no. "My butt hurts," he whispered.

"Cap'n, can Peter stand up?" Smee turned to face Hook, who was rolling his eyes at the request. "His bottom is sore."

Hook waved his hand as he spoke. "Go ahead."

Smee went straight to work on the rope that held Peter's ankles together. As soon as the rope was off of him, he sighed in relief. Smee then helped him up to his feet. But Peter howled in pain when he put any weight on his wounded leg. Quickly, the burly pirate grabbed Peter's arm and yanked him against the mast, making him hit his head on the hard wood. "Ow!" Peter whined.

Hook smirked. "Oh, did that hurt?" Stepping up to Peter, he reached up as if he was going to rub his head, but instead, he swiped his green hat from his head. Once Peter realized that Hook had his hat, Peter panicked. Hook held the hat in front of Peter's face and sliced it using Peter's knife.

Peter pouted a little and watched as the shredded cloth fell to the ground. That was his favorite part of his outfit. It's what made him, him! And without it, he was just a boy who wore leaves.

Frustrated that Peter was not upset, Hook knew he had to take it to the next level. "You know, we have some new crew members aboard. Would you like to meet them?" Hook folded his hand and hook in front of him.

"Not really." Peter took the pressure off his leg and kept it elevated for a moment.

"Trust me, you will!" Hook walked inside the ship to grab the boys.

While he was gone, Holden moved closer to him and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You're doing really well," he praised.

Peter pouted and looked down at the pieces of his hat. "Thanks." He looked up again at Holden and let out a long sigh, trying to calm himself down. Then he heard footsteps coming toward him. Fearfully, he peeked around the corner to see the Lost Boys following Hook. Shaking his head, Peter hoped that he just imagined that they were there. But he knew they were really there when they parked themselves in front of him. "Boys?" His voice cracked. He scolded himself internally for letting his emotions slip out.

"Hey, Peter," Slightly said quietly while looking down.

"You all joined Hook's crew?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. He promised us that we would like it here. He even gave us beds and new clothes."

Peter was speechless. "Didn't you like living with me? We have a lot of fun!"

"We do, but Hook made us realize that you don't love us!" Slightly finally had the courage to look up from the ground.

Peter growled at Hook in anger. "You told them what?"

"I told them the truth," Hook answered. "The only person you love is yourself. And I wanted them to live with someone who cares about them."

"Boys, you know I love you! I love you more than anything in the whole world. How could you let Hook deceive you like that?" The boys all looked down at their feet. Peter snarled at the boys and felt tears starting to well up in his eyes. "Well, I hope your happy here because you're not welcome back!"

Slightly began to protest with the rest of the boys but was silenced by Peter. "Traitors aren't welcome back!" He turned his head away from the group and bit his bottom lip, trying his best not to cry.

Slightly glanced at Hook and looked for some reassurance. Hook smiled at him and patted him on the back. "Don't worry, you're always welcome to stay with me," he cooed. "Now, why don't you boys go inside and play some games."

The boys nodded and walked back inside, feeling awful about leaving Peter. Slightly hesitated before leaving. He didn't want him hurt, but he also didn't want to get on Hook's bad side by telling him to let Peter go. Scanning Peter's body, he noticed that his leg was injured. And his chest also had an X carved into it. "What happened?" he asked, trying to show Peter that he still cared.

"Just go!" Peter choked out. He felt a tear slip, and then another, and then another. He was crying. Hook had finally gotten to him.

Slightly ran off to catch up with the other boys. Peter watched as he left him and dropped to his knees in a full sob. His only family abandoned him for Hook. It felt like a stab to the heart. He wanted to run; he wanted to hide. But unfortunately, the burly pirate was still gripping his arm.

Heartbroken, Smee walked to the crying boy and knelt in front of him, embracing him tightly and stroking his hair. "Shhh," he soothed. "I know, I know." As he put his hands on Peter's shoulders, he looked up with watery eyes.

"What's the matter, Peter? Did that hurt your feelings?" Hook sneered while crouching down to his level.

Smee glared at Hook, wanting him to shut up for a minute. "That's enough!" he scolded. "He's had enough for today. I'm going to take him down to the brig and give him some food." He stood up and helped the boy back up.

"We're not done yet!" Hook argued. "We haven't even told him about Tinkerbell."

Peter perked up when he heard his friend's name. "What about Tinkerbell?" he asked nervously.

"Oh," Hook began. "I may have captured her..." Hook's voice trailed off, allowing Peter to process the information. Once it had clearly registered, he bent over and picked up a lantern containing a panicked fairy.

"Tink!" Peter shouted while trying to break free of the burly pirate's grasp. "Let her go," he spat at Hook.

"What's the magic word?" Hook prompted.

Peter frowned. "Please." His entire body tensed up with anger. He knew Hook wouldn't let her go because he used manners.

"Nope!" Hook cackled. "You see, my goal today is to make you miserable by taking away everything you love. So here's your choice. Either I throw her into the ocean, or I say those dreadful words. Which do you want?"

"Is there a choice for you to get thrown into the ocean? Cause, if not, I'm not playing!" Peter scowled and fought to get free, wiggling his wrists in hope of slipping them out of the course ropes. But the only thing he managed to do was get rope burn. Wincing from the pain, he continued to fight but failed.

"Well, that isn't an option. And since you won't play, I guess I'll have to make the choice." He cleared his throat and flashed an evil grin. Then he turned to Tink and glowered at her. "I. Don't-"

"No!" Peter begged. "Please don't do this! She's my best friend, and I need her!"

"Too bad! Now, I don't believe in-"

Peter broke away from the burly pirate with a sudden burst of strength. Quickly, he charged at Hook and knocked him right off his feet, making him drop the lantern. Glass shattered everywhere, and some pieces sliced Peter's feet. But he didn't care. The only thing that mattered to him was saving Tink.

Once he found her, he slid down on his knees and used his nose to nudge her. "Tink, you have to get out of here!" He swallowed hard, knowing that Hook was towering over him.

She stood up and stomped her foot down. "I am not leaving you like this!" she jingled.

"Please go before you get hurt!"

"What about you? You're bleeding!"

"I'll be okay," he lied. "I'll be okay as long as you're safe. Now go home, and I'll see you tonight for dinner." But before he could stand up, a burning, throbbing pain fled through Peter's core. Looking down, he saw a blood-covered blade sticking out of his gut. He began to panic, but then the blade was shoved harder into his stomach. He cried out in agony and panted heavily.

The blade began to turn, and Peter felt his insides ripping. He wanted to curl up into a ball; he wanted to cry out for him mommy, but he couldn't even force himself to talk. Quickly, he bit his lip as Hook's hook dug into his shoulder, creating two thick lines of blood. Peter struggled not to scream from the pain. He thought a broken arm hurt, but he no idea that the amount of pain he was in was even possible.

Tink was frozen in horror. Peters blood poured from his stomach. After what felt like an eternity, Hook yanked the sword out of Peter's stomach and watched as he collapsed onto his side. Cackling, Hook stared at the whimpering boy and smiled. "Did that hurt?"

Peter didn't respond; he was too focused on the pain.

Holden couldn't stop looking at the puddle of blood that was surrounding Peter's body. The sight made him sick to his stomach. He had to do something to help him. Even though he knew he would get hurt, he ran towards Peter, sliced the ropes holding his hands, and rolled him onto his back.

Peter clutched Holden's shoulder as hard as he possibly could, trying to help the throbbing sensation. Holden gulped before he pressed against the gaping hole in Peter's body. He screamed in pain, but Holden continued. Blood covered his hands as he pushed down. Seeing that he wasn't making the blood stop, he scooped Peter up in his arms and lifted him up. "Shh, I've got you. You're going to be okay."

Then he felt a barrel of a gun on the small of his back. He froze, not really knowing what to do. "Drop him," Hook ordered.

Holden glared at him over his shoulder, still clutching Peter close to his body. "You are a sick man!" he spat. "How can you sleep at night? You just stabbed a little kid!"

In anger, Hook fired his gun at Holden's thigh and watched as he tumbled to the deck, landing on top of Peter. Holden, who was clutching at his wound, grimaced when another bullet penetrated his side, burying itself into one of his kidneys.

Holden grabbed his side and stared up at Hook. He stood proudly with his pistol in his hand. His lips formed a wicked smile. Then he nodded to the burly pirate. "Do what you want to him," he prompted.

The pirate stormed over to Holden and stood him up. Punching him in the face, blood filled in Holden's mouth. He panted heavily and cowered to the man. "I have wanted to do this for a long time," he barked. He flung Holden across the ship, loving how weak the boy was. And then he grasped his shoulder and yanked it out of place.

Holden shrieked and sank down to the deck in pain. Tears welled up in his eyes. But the burly pirate didn't stop there. He stomped down on Holden's knee and crushed it under the pressure. Holden held in a scream, but a small whimper escaped from his lips.

"Better take him down to the brig," Hook suggested. "I don't like traitors being free."

"I may be a traitor, but you're a codfish," Holden shouted. Hook's lips tightened. With one shot,

The pirate tossed him over the shoulder carelessly and began to stroll downstairs.

Hook turned to Peter and crouched down next to him, combing his hair with his hook and purposely scratching his scalp. "Enjoy Hell," he whispered. Then he walked away and led his crew into the mess for some drinks.

Peter sobbed when he realized that there was no way he would live. He needed a miracle; he needed Maria to save him. But as long as she was mad at him, he was doomed.

Meanwhile, Holden was being carried down to the brig. But as he passed Maria's room, an idea popped into his head. With all the strength he had, he elbowed the burly pirate in the back of the neck. The man toppled over and landed on Holden's broken knee. Screaming in pain, he squirmed away and scooted over to Maria's door.

Maria stirred when she heard loud knocking on the door. But when it continued, she fluttered her eyes open. As she realized that she was in her room, she sat straight up and looked around, confused. Then she found her kiss from Peter on the nightstand beside her bed. "No," she whispered.

She hopped out of bed and grabbed her sword, not knowing who was at the door. Quickly, she opened the door and looked around until her gaze fixated on Holden. He was panting and whimpering. "What happened?" she asked.

"Peter..." he choked out. "Peter's hurt."

The burly pirate suddenly picked Holden up and slammed him into the wall. "Hey!" Maria yelled. "Get away from him."

The pirate pulled out his sword and pressed it against Holden's throat. "Sorry," he mumbled. "But I have orders from Hook to take him to the brig."

"Well, I order you to leave him alone! He did nothing wrong!"

"He tried to save Peter!"

Maria paused. "Save?" she repeated.

Holden piped up. "Hook empaled him."

Maria froze and stared blankly at the burly pirate. This was her fault; she couldn't stay awake last night, and now he was hurt. "You know, I'll take Holden down to the brig. You go celebrate with the rest of the crew!" She smiled nicely and watched as he moved away from Holden and to the mess. Once he was out of sight, Maria went to work and bent down next to Holden. "Stay here, okay?"

"I can't walk so that shouldn't be a problem." He smirked and ignored the pain. "You need to grab the first-aid kit. Peter's really bad."

"Okay, thanks." She stood up and sprinted around, looking for the stupid white box that was always missing when someone needed it. After a few minutes of running, she went into Hook's cabin and luckily found it lying on his desk. She grabbed it quickly and then bolted outside, assuming that he was out there.

But as she stepped into the warm sunlight, she got cold feet. How was she supposed to help the person who killed her mom? She didn't want to just act liked it didn't happen, but she had to push her feelings aside for the moment and help him. "Peter?" she whispered.

"Help."

She followed the sound of his weak voice. But before she rounded the mast, she took in a deep breath to calm her nerves. Then she crept around the mast, seeing Peter lying helplessly as Tinkerbell tried to help him. "PETER!" she screamed in fear. She did not see the glass on the deck so when she slid down onto her knees, she experienced some pain, but nothing like Peter's pain.

Maria brushed Peter's hair out of his eyes and then surveyed how bad his wounds were. "What happened?" she asked quietly while opening the box and grabbing a roll of cloth.

Peter sighed and looked at her. "You were right. I should've stayed away from here," he choked out. "I'm really-"

"Don't apologize to me right now. I know you're sorry." She tore a piece of the cloth and laid it on top of the gash.

"Is it bad?"

Maria hesitated. "Uh, no. It's not bad."

"Maria, don't lie to me."

"Okay, it's bad. But you'll be fine!" She pressed down hard on his stomach to stop the bleeding. Peter yelled and kicked from the pain. She cringed from his cries of agony, but she had to stop the bleeding. "Shh," she soothed.

He started crying, and to help the pain, he squeezed Maria's arm as tightly as he could. He squeezed so tight that her fingers started to go numb. She didn't say anything to him, though. As long as it helped him, she would let him do whatever he needed to do.

When the bleeding finally stopped, Maria looked at his wound again. "It's pretty deep."

Peter let go of her arm and wiped away his tears. "Maria, I'm scared," he whispered.

"Of what?"

"Dying."

Maria turned her head sharply. "I won't let you die." she promised. "I can't lose another person I care about!"

Peter had a sudden bolt of shooting pain run through him. "OW!" he yelped. His back arched. Maria cringed again, hating seeing him like that. She wanted to help him but didn't know how.

Peter looked at her desperately. He was grasping at his wound. Maria watched him suffering, not sure what to do. She felt his forehead-it was burning up. "You have a pretty bad fever." She unfastened his belt gently and slid his shirt above his cut. Accidentally, she bumped it with her hand and made him cringe. "Sorry," she said.

"It's okay," Peter lied.

Maria laid the gauze down on his stomach and then wrapped his core in the ace-bandage. Peter whimpered the whole time. He had never been hurt so badly before.

Once he was all wrapped up, Maria pulled his shirt back down and refastened his belt. She smiled at him. "That should hold you until we get to the Indian camp." Peter didn't respond; speaking hurt him too much. He just smiled faintly at her. Maria felt his head once more and frowned. "Let's get you some medicine." She reached in the box, picked up the bottle, and read the dose chart. "How much do you think you weigh?"

"I don't know." Peter said. I've never been weighed before.

"Well, you weigh more than me, so I'll just give you what I would get." Maria poured the red goo into a measuring cup. Then, she set it next to him and helped him sit up.

She wrapped her arm around him and assisted him up, and then she held the cup to his lips so he could drink it more easily.

He hesitated and glanced at Maria, who gave him a reassuring smile. So he quickly gulped it down. Quivering, he gagged when he tasted the horrible liquid.

Maria rubbed his back and gently laid him back down. "I know, it tastes awful. But, it should help your fever." she stated.

Peter smiled again and took her hand. "Thank you for helping me."

"You really don't have to thank me. You save me, I save you. It's what we do!" She watched him start to tremble as another wave of pain came. Tears began to stream down his cheeks and he arched his back again. He looked up at Maria and tried to pull himself together. Maria looked at him with kind eyes. "Peter, you don't have to be brave right now."

Peter let the tears out freely and began sobbing. Maria caressed his cheek with her thumb gently. Maria smiled sadly before letting a tear drip onto his chest. She felt awful about what happened. It was her fault he got hurt. She was the one who talked the boys into coming for dinner. She was the one that broke his heart. She was the one who feel asleep while she was on watch.

Peter cringed again. His eyes were feeling heavy, and he began to close them. But Maria knew if he closed his eyes, she might never see them again. "No, Peter. Stay awake," she said softly. "Just hang in there."

She then turned to Tink. "I need you to go get help."

Tink nodded and zoomed off, trying to go as fast as possible.

Peter tried to keep his eyes open, but he knew they would only stay open for so long. His mind was starting to get foggy and his breathing got worse. Maria felt his head and found that the medicine wasn't helping at all! She stood up and searched for anything that would spark an idea in her head. Nothing! _C'mon, Maria! Think!_ she thought.

Peter whimpered loudly, making Maria want to cry. She combed his hair with her fingers and smiled. Peter was weaker than ever. He put his hand on the back of her neck and eased her down by him. She puckered her lips and was about to plant them on him when someone cleared his throat.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Hook questioned.

Maria looked up like a scared little puppy at Hook. His expression was both stern and hurt. "Dad, I can explain," she said insecurely. "You see," she began.

"No need." Hook said while crossing his arms. "I understand what's going on! You were about to kiss him!" Maria tried to reject the idea, but Hook shut her down. "You are in so much trouble, young lady!"

Maria cringed at his words. She stood up and rubbed her arm, her hand trembling. "I know you're mad, but-"

"Mad? I'm furious! How could you do this to me?"

"It just happened! The night I sprained my ankle, I had every intention on hurting Peter. But, next thing I knew, I was hurt, and he showed me mercy. He flew me home and put ice on my ankle. Then, he asked me out when I went to go get my sword. It's kinda obvious what happened next."

"So, you've lied to me the whole time? Maria, I thought I raised you better than that!"

"Look, I hated lying to you! But, I knew you wouldn't like us dating!" Hook was over-the-top angry and slapped Maria on the cheek. "OW!" she whimpered. Holding her cheek, she looked up at Hook with her big, blue eyes that were filling with tears. "Listen, I'm the one who should be upset. You stabbed my boyfriend!"

Hook rubbed his head in disappointment and sighed. "Go to your room. We'll talk about this later," Hook ordered. She noticed that the pirates were coming outside to see what the commotion was.

"I won't leave Peter." She balled her fists up and stood her ground,

Hook yanked her arm forward and then shoved into the mast. She winced in pain and glared at him. "Go to your room!" he shouted in her face. Then, he pushed her into a group of pirates, ready to hold her back. Maria's arms were caught, and she struggled to get free. "Make sure she doesn't get out!" he told the crew. The burly pirate wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off of her feet.

Maria kicked and yelled as he began carrying her away from Peter. Then, she heard a gun click and panicked. She turned her head to see Hook aiming it directly at Peter's chest. He was trying to get away, but moving sent shooting pain throughout his body.

Maria's heart was racing and she finally elbowed the pirate so hard that he released her. She instantly grabbed the pirates cutlass and ran to Peter's aid. She stopped in front of him and held the sword put in front of her. "If you're going to shoot him, you'll have to shoot me first," she stated.

"Maria, get out of my way." Hook demanded. Maria kept her ground and smirked. He became enraged again and smoked her in the head with his hook. Maria fell to the ground in pain and touched her head, which was bleeding. But not allowing herself to be weak, she stood up again shakily.

She wasn't going to let Peter get hurt any worse. Hook's eyes showed some regret. Maria's head was throbbing but didn't let it show. "Please let him go," Maria begged. "He'll leave you alone if you do."

"I'm not letting him go until he's dead!" Hook stated.

"I won't let you kill him!"

"I don't get you! You've hated him since you were little! How can you like him now?"

"Dad, you hated him! I just hated him to please you! Yeah, he got on my nerves, but I didn't hate him. The only reason I wanted him dead was because you wanted it!"

"Would you still like him if you knew that he killed your mom?"

"He told me already. And trust me, we'll talk about it later."

"And you still like him after that?" Hook said, disgusted.

"Yeah." Maria turned her head and smiled at Peter. "I do. I really, really do!"

"Unbelievable!" Hook turned around and fought the urge to strangle Maria.

Maria tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, upset and annoyed with her father. She rubbed her arm again and sighed in frustration.

"You really like him, don't you?" Hook asked. Maria shook her head yes repeatedly. "Come here." He opened his arms to her.

Maria smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Hook then embraced her. Just when she thought everything would be okay, he threw her to the ground and pointed his gun at Peter again. Maria hit her head hard on the mast and it took her a moment to recover. Her head felt like it was going to explode from the pain, but she managed to get up onto her hands and knees to watch what was happening.

Hook had his pistol aimed at Peter's chest again and grinned. "Prepare to die, Peter Pan," Hook sneered. Just as he pulled the trigger, Maria forced his arm up, making the bullet fly into the sky. He was stunned by her actions.

"I'll fight you for him," she said weakly. Her hands trembled from the pain. Looking down at Peter, her heart sunk, and all she wanted to do was comfort him.

"Maria, no," Peter choked out. "You'll get hurt! Just let me die; I deserve it. I'm the reason you don't have a mother." He swallowed hard and prepared himself for death.

"NO! If you die, then I lose another person I care about! And I'm not going to let that happen." She turned on her heels back to Hook, crossing her arms and pursing her lips. "If I win, you have to let him go-and the boys."

"You really want to do this?" he threatened. "Cause it's not going to end well for you."

"I'm willing to take that chance," she retorted. Her face was certain, but on the inside, she was terrified that she was going to get hurt. But it was the only way she could think of getting Peter out of there alive.

Hook drew his sword slowly, as if he was trying to intimidate her. "Fine. But if I win, Peter walks the plank, and you get to spend the entire week in the brig."

Maria glanced at Peter one last time and nodded to Hook. "Deal."

Instantly, pirates lunged for Peter and lifted him up to his feet, making him cry out in pain again. He felt his wound begin to bleed again as he was shoved over to the mast and tied to it. His vision became hazy, and he felt dizzy from moving that quickly.

When Maria saw how sick he looked, she pouted and walked over to him. She was afraid that it could be the last time they were able to be together. She surveyed Peter's stomach to find that bright red goo had seeped its way through the bandage. "Your bleeding again," she stated sadly.

"I'm okay," Peter panted. The pain was so severe that his breathing had become short and unsteady. Instead, it felt like he was gasping for air, almost like he was choking on his own blood. He coughed to clear his throat, but his eyes shot open when he tasted something metallic-blood. He had coughed up blood.

Maria glanced at his mouth and saw the red stuff dripping onto his bottom lip. She knew coughing up blood meant that he needed medical attention, and quick. She wiped his blood off his lips with her hand and then kissed him gently. "Don't worry. I'm gonna get you outta here." She then turned to Hook and grasped her sword in her hand.

Hook immediately swung his sword at her, forcing Maria to block it. Her arms shook against the pressure of his weight. She pressed back using both of her hands, trying to keep the sword from slicing her chest. But then she felt a hot, stinging pain across her stomach. Looking down, she saw her own blood crawling down her stomach.

She grabbed her new wound and shoved Hook away from her, giving her a chance to run away. Heading for the poop deck, she sprinted up the stairs only to be slammed down. Hook smirked as his daughter winced in pain. His hatred for Peter overshadowed the fact that he was causing his own daughter harm. He thrusted his sword at her, but she managed to block it from hitting her.

She then swung at him, slicing him on the chest. Hook moved backwards, surprised by her sudden attack. But he quickly retaliated and shoved his sword at her, only missing her by an inch. Her moment was quickly interrupted by Hook's sword plummeting towards her hands. She drew her hands back at the last possible second and tumbled onto her bottom.

She quickly hopped up and leapt over the railing back down to the main deck. But the way she landed on her left foot sent shooting pain through her leg. She only let out a small whimper and rubbed it gingerly.

Then, there was a loud thud behind her. Maria's heart rate rose, and she couldn't force herself to turn around. But she knew that Hook was behind her when his blade carved a line from her shoulder to the opposite hip. She cringed from the pain but would not cry. She scrambled up onto her feet and spun around quickly, blocking another blow from Hook.

Peter watched as Maria struggled to get the advantage over Hook. He kept coming after her. "Get higher!" he shouted. The only way that she was going to win was if she could be "taller" than him.

Maria took his advice and darted towards the rope ladder hanging off the sail support. She hastily climbed up it, but soon enough, a searing pain fled through her calf. Hook's hook had stabbed her leg. Pushing through the pain, she kept going up the ladder until she made it onto the support beam. Very carefully, she watched her footing-one slip and she would plummet to her death.

She looked at her calf to see what damage had been done. Then, without warning, a sharp, throbbing pain entered her skull, and went down onto her knees, grasping her head to protect it from any more harm. Another smack to the head sent her tumbling onto her stomach. She felt something press against her back. "Give up?" Hook sneered as he crushed one of her ribs underneath his weight. She screamed in agony.

"I won't give up yet," she choked out. "Not until I'm crumpled into a ball and can't move."

"Fine, have it your way." Hook picked her up by the collar of her shirt and flung her carelessly into the mast. She whimpered slightly, but Hook wasn't stopping there. He jabbed his fist into Maria's eye and then into her throat.

Maria's breathing was cut short, making her an easy target. He threw her onto her back and dug his boot into her stomach. Before she even could attempt to get up, he kicked her in the side, causing her to roll off the support. She luckily managed to grab a hold of a rope that hung from a sail.

Instead of helping, Hook slashed the rope on one end. Maria slid from the unexpected movement and swung for a moment. Hook had moved over to the other end of the rom and held his sword. "Dad, don't," she pleaded. He smiled and sliced the rope.

Maria fell.

She landed on the hard, metal grate. Peter shouted her name, but she just laid there, struggling to breathe. At least two more of her ribs broke, and she was pretty sure that her right elbow was shattered.

"Maria, c'mon! Get up!" Peter begged. "He's coming!" He peered over at Hook who was smiling wickedly. "Leave her alone!" he ordered.

Maria heard his cries but was incapable of moving. Her body throbbed just by breathing. She couldn't force herself to get up no matter how much she wanted to. And it took all of her energy to roll her head to face Peter.

Hook approached her victoriously and slowly put all of his weight on her right wrist. The weak bone snapped under the pressure, and Maria grimaced as her whole arm pulsed with unexplainable pain. Then he aimed his sword at her heart and eased it into her chest, watching as she clutched her good hand into a fist. "Please, stop," she whispered weakly.

"Not until you surrender." Hook kept pushing his sword further into her until a boy's voice screamed in horror.

"NO!"

The voice belonged to Slightly. He pulled an arrow out off his quiver and loaded it into his bow. Drawing back the string, he aimed for Hook's arm and fired. The arrow hit exactly where Slightly intended it to, and he watched as Hook staggered backwards in pain.

Then, he rushed over to Maria and observed her wounds. Her head had split open and was bleeding profusely. He wanted to barf at the sight, but he wouldn't leave her. "What's going on," he mumbled to her. Maria pointed over to Peter with her good arm and then dropped it lifelessly by her side. Slightly turned around and gasped. "Peter?" he questioned. "What happened to you?" He noticed that the bandages around his core were soaked with blood.

"Hook stabbed me," he said lowly, kind of embarrassed. "Don't worry, though. I'll be okay. Just help her."

Slightly nodded and went back to helping Maria. He touched her bruising elbow, making her cry out in pain. He glanced up at Hook and scowled. "You're the reason she's hurt, and you don't even care?" he scolded firmly.

"She deserves this. She betrayed me!" Hook sneered.

Slightly pressed against her head, making a whimper escape from her lips. "Well, if it wasn't obvious, I quit being a part of your crew. I'd rather die than sink that low."

"That can be arranged," Hook threatened. He advanced towards him, but Slightly didn't cower. Instead, he pulled out another arrow and loaded it in his bow. Then he drew back and aimed for Hook's chest.

"I will shoot," he snarled. "Back up, _now!"_

Hook agreed and took a step backwards, leading Slightly to believe that he was in control. He hesitantly put his bow down on the deck-still loaded-and then went back to helping Maria.

But while he was calming her down, a sudden rush of pain enveloped his entire skull. He grasped the back of his head and whirled around, finding that stupid burly pirate holding a metal rod in his hands.

He swung it powerfully at the boy again and hit him right on the temple. Slightly landed on his back and crawled away only to run into Hook's legs. The burly pirate smoked him on the head for the third time, sending his world spinning.

Peter screamed for him to stop, but the burly pirate ignored his cries. He pressed the rod down onto Slightly's neck, cutting off the boy's air. Peter glanced back and forth from Maria to Slightly. She was barely able to breathe from the pain, and he couldn't let Slightly suffer any longer. "I'LL WALK THE PLANK!" he screamed.

All eyes fell on him, but the burly pirate kept the rod against Slightly's throat. A smile graced Hook's lips as he approached him. "You will?" he asked.

"Peter," Maria choked out. Her voice was quiet and weak. It sent bolts of pain through her chest just talking. "Don't!"

Peter pouted and avoided eye contact from everyone. "I will if you let Maria and the boys go." His voice shook as he spoke, letting Hook know just how scared he really was. He hated sounding vulnerable, but he couldn't control his nerves.

Hook gazed at his daughter and then at Slightly, who was near unconscious from the lack of air. He waved his hand to signal the burly pirate to release Slightly. He begrudging did so, and Slightly gasped and coughed as he took in a few long breaths.

"There. I let them go. Now you have to hold up your end of the deal." He turned to the crew. "Grab the anchor," he crowed.

Instantly, the crew followed his orders and pulled out a relatively large anchor, dropping it at Peter's feet. Peter gulped when Hook grabbed his chin and yanked it so he had to face him. "Are you scared?" he chuckled. "Cause you should be." He sliced the ropes and watched as the boy fell helplessly to the ground.

Trying to get up, he was jerked onto his back, and his hands were bound together along with his feet. He didn't see the point in tying his feet together; it wasn't like he was going to fight to get free. Then, a heavy weight landed on his back, making him wince from the pain. His elbows were brought back and tied to the horizontal pole on the anchor, not allowing his arms to move at all.

Then he was picked up by the collar of his shirt and handed off to Hook. His body hung loosely from the ropes and he looked over his shoulder at Maria. "Can I say goodbye?" he asked, accepting his defeat.

Hook offered a half-smirk. His answer was simple and short "No."

"Please? Wouldn't you love to have one more minute with Emily?"

"I said no. I'm not going to change my mind."

Peter pulled away from Hook's grasp and fell onto his knees. Coughing, he spat out more blood and pouted.

"Cap'n, it would be the honorable thing to do," Smee piped up.

Hook grumbled and rolled his eyes. "Fine. You have one minute."

Peter looked down innocently at his feet and then back up. Hook, knowing that Peter was sincere in his request, granted it and sliced the ropes off his ankles. He nodded gratefully and dragged himself over to the suffering girl. Slightly helped her stand up so she could be at eye level with Peter, keeping her stable by wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Hey," Peter mumbled, not wanting to look her in the eyes.

"Why did you do that? I still could have saved you!" Maria grimaced from the pain in her head felt her legs start to buckle. Slightly kept her upright, trying to take most of her weight for her.

"I couldn't let you get hurt anymore. And I knew the only way Hook would stop was if I agreed to die." He glanced up at her and found tears welling up in her eyes. "Plus, I knew I probably wasn't going to make it since I coughed up blood."

"I didn't know you knew what that meant." Maria whimpered. She cupped Peter's cheeks in her good hand. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I thought I could win. I thought I could save you."

"Shhh. Don't apologize. It's okay."

"It's not okay. You're going to die, and it's my fault!" She broke into a full sob and wrapped her arm around him in a tight embrace. Peter began to cry too and let the tears fall onto her shoulder. "I don't want you to leave me. You're my happy thought!"

"And you're mine!" They both stood there in silence until Peter whispered something in her ear. "I love you."

Maria gasped and sank further into the hug. "I love you, too."

Seeing that the minute was up, Hook ripped Peter away from Maria, despite her begging. "Now before you make any more requests, someone gag him." He threw Peter onto this knees again and watched as blood began to pour out of his wound again.

The burly pirate found a strip of cloth and crouched down next to the boy, putting it in between his teeth and tying it tightly at the back of his head. Peter's eyes felt heavy and tired, and all he wanted to do was give in to the sleep that called him. He coughed again, heaving up more blood in his mouth.

Hook picked Peter up and pushed him to the edge of the plank, letting him stare at the raging water. The waves were viscous, and Peter knew he wouldn't make it out alive. Far off cries could be heard from the beach. Indians were rushing down the beach to his rescue, but they were still a long way away. Peter glanced at Hook and then at the island.

And with one deep breath, Peter stepped off the plank and fell into the water faster than he had anticipated. In a split second, he was completely submerged in icy cold water and was sinking towards the ocean floor.

He didn't want to suffer; he wanted to die as quickly as possible. So without hesitation, he opened his mouth, allowing his lungs to fill with the salt water. His wounds stung from the salt, and he grimaced from the pain. But he still kept his mouth open. He hoped that the darkness would soon overtake him.

Maria watched as Peter plunged into the water and was completely frozen in horror. Then, adrenaline pumped through her veins. The Indians were approaching quickly, but Peter needed to be saved right then. Her pain suddenly disappeared, and she rushed over to the nearest pirate, stole his sword, and stormed towards Hook, who was standing proudly at the railing.

She swung angrily at him, severing his right hand from his arm. It landed on the plank, in front of him. He panicked as he realized that his hand wasn't attached to him. Then a rush of pain fled through his arm.

Maria, not feeling any remorse, reached into Hook's coat pocket and flung a key ring at Slightly. "Free the chief, help Holden, and get the rest of the boys out of here, now!" she ordered.

He caught the keys swiftly and nodded to her, showing that he understood.

Maria nodded back and then used the plank as a diving board to dive into the water in search of Peter. The water pressure actually hurt Maria as she got closer and closer to the ocean floor. There were jagged rocks protruding through the sand that she had to dodge. Maria hoped Peter didn't hit one. She knew he would have lost consciousness if he had.

A waved hit her and sent her spiraling through the water, trying to get back on the right path. But more waves came, and she eventually crashed into one of the rocks, shredding her clothes and skin. Blood rushed out of her. Her vision became dark and fuzzy. But she continued to search.

Just as she had made some progress and thought she saw Peter lying on the bottom of the ocean, another wave slammed against her body. She, in turn, smacked her head into a different rock, causing her progress to be lost again. But as she recovered, she at least knew the direction of Peter. Eventually, she made it over to the boy and sliced the ropes that held him against the anchor.

But then a new problem came up-she was too weak to move the anchor off of Peter. She knew he had little time left before he would officially drown. Using all of her strength, she managed to pushed the anchor off of him. He was free, but she had given all of her strength up. She needed air; she needed someone to help her. She couldn't save him.

Resigning herself to the fact that he would drown, she decided to drown with him. She just couldn't think of leaving him alone to die.

Then a familiar noise appeared behind her.

Tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock.

 _Great! Now I have to fight off a crocodile!_ she thought internally. But as the crocodile circled them, he wedged his long snout underneath Peter and lifted him off the floor. Mara was astonished at the fact that the crocodile, of all things, was saving him. She began to swim up to the surface when one more waved crashed into her, sending her into another rock. She felt something sharp enter her chest and looked down at her body.

The rock had pierced through her skin and into her lung. And that was the last thing she saw before she passed out.

…

Maria woke up two days later and fluttered her eyes open. Above her was the familiar peak of a teepee. Her head throbbed from the light, and she closed her eyes tightly to lighten the pounding in her head.

"Hey," a weak voice said from across the tent.

She turned her head slightly to the right and peeked at who it was out of one eye. She smiled faintly when she saw it was Holden. "Hey," she replied. There was a sudden pang in her chest that cut her breathing short. She looked down at her body to find her chest wrapped in a bandage that was stained red right where she had been stabbed by that rock.

Holden, whose arm was in a sling and his leg propped up by pillows, noticed that she could barely breathe. "Maria, slow breaths," he instructed.

She calmed down and tried to control her breathing. But then a new, throbbing sensation formed in her arm. Her elbow was hot and pulsing along with her wrist. And with that, her entire body ached again. She bit her lip to conceal a scream and glanced at Holden. "Where's Peter?" she asked, realizing that she never saw him go above the water.

"He's in the medical tent."

"Then where are we?" She attempted to sit up but failed miserably. Her body refused to move.

"We're in the chief's tent." He combed his blonde locks with his fingers and sighed.

"I need to see him," she said firmly. Attempting to get up again, she managed to get a little bit off the mattress before a sharp pain fled through her ribs. She crashed back down onto her cot and grabbed at her side, which only made it hurt worse.

"Maria, you need to take it easy. You have three broken ribs that aren't going to heal if you keep tying to get up." Holden smirked. "You don't see me trying to walk on my broken knee, do you?"

"No," Maria mumbled. "But I have to know he's okay! I have to see him with my own eyes." She took in a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. But she wouldn't rest until she saw him.

Then the tent flap opened and in came Dancing Moon. "I brought you some hot soup to make you feel better," she said sweetly to Holden. He smiled happily and accepted the bowl. She glanced around the teepee quickly and saw that Maria was awake. "Oh, hi!" Her voice was gentle and soft. "How are you feeling?"

Maria sighed. "Tired. Drained."

"I bet so! You took quite a beating, didn't you?" She scooted over to her and rubbed her head gingerly, almost like how a mother would.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that I'm never welcome back on the ship." Her voice was so low and Dancing Moon knew she was hurting.

"Well, you are always welcome here! I'm sure having a pirate around would be helpful." She offered the girl a smile and looked down at her arm. "Can I check on your wounds?"

"Go ahead." Maria closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, which was still difficult.

Dancing Moon went to her arm and lifted it up to get a better look, making Maria cry out in pain. "Sorry." When she saw the bruising on her elbow, she knew having that awful of a break had to be excruciating. Then she shifted her gaze down to her wrist, which wasn't as big as of a break, but it was still sore.

Lowering it back down to Maria's side, she unwrapped her chest to see how the hole was healing. But it didn't look any better than the first time she saw it. In fact, it looked worse. Puss was seeping out of the open wound, showing that there was an infection. "I'm going to clean you up really quick, alright?" she asked.

Maria nodded and watched as she grabbed a towel and blotted her chest carefully. But no matter how gently she blotted, Maria cringed from the pain.

When she was finished, she rewrapped her chest in the bandage and stroked her hair. "Good job," she cooed. "Would you like something to eat? I can make you a bowl of soup."

"Sure. That sounds great!" She smiled back at Dancing Moon. "But I really want to see Peter first."

"Sweetie, your injuries are very serious. I think you should stay in bed to let them heal. Maybe you can see him tomorrow."

"I need to see him!" Maria shouted. She began to sit up but stopped by a wave of pain in her ribs, again. Dancing Moon opened her mouth to speak but words never came out. There was a hint of guilt in her eyes. "He's not okay, is he?"

She glanced at Holden for some sort of clue on what to say. He just had the same hint of guilt in his eyes. "He'll be fine," she said quickly.

Maria gripped her arm. "Tell me the truth. I want to know, no matter how bad it is."

Dancing Moon folded her hands in her lap and looked Maria directly in the eyes. "He's alive now, but he's not going to make it. He barely has a heartbeat, he isn't breathing well, and he's still unconscious. But we're doing everything we can."

Maria's stomach churned as she digested the information. Peter was going to die? No-this couldn't be true. She had saved him from drowning. Everything was supposed to be okay! She began to blubber, and then the blubber turned into a full sob. "I've already lost my mom, and my dad will probably never talk to me again. I can't lose him too!"

Dancing Moon tried to calm her down, but nothing succeeded. "I know, it's hard. But there's still a chance he could make it." She brushed the hair out of Maria's eyes and squeezed her hand. "I'm going to get you some soup. You just stay here and rest." She got up and walked out of the tent solemnly.

Maria nodded obediently and sank into her cot, trying to keep herself calm. She just couldn't believe she had went through all of that just for him to die still. She hated herself for not being strong enough to win the fight.

After a few minutes, a visitor appeared in the teepee. It was Smee, looking worried as ever. "Maria!" he cried as he rushed over to her. "My goodness. You had me worried sick! Are you okay?" Maria furrowed her brows and looked up at the old man. "I'm sorry," he stumbled. "That was a dumb question."

Maria chuckled quietly and smiled. "You're fine." She looked outside to see some of the crew gathering outside. "Dad isn't here, is he?"

"No, sweetie. He's on the ship."

"How's his hand?"

"We went to a hospital in London to get it reattached. It'll be fine." He smiled reassuringly. "How's Peter?"

"I haven't seen him, but I know it's not good. They said he probably won't make it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Maria," he said as softly as possible.

"Me too. I just wish I had been able to save him." She looked down at her body and cringed at the sight of the torn skin on her stomach. When she looked back up, other crew members had come into the tent, looking hesitant to come any closer. "Oh, hey, guys," she mumbled.

"We just wanted to see how you both were doing," one pirate explained. "We also wanted to apologize for not standing up to Hook and freeing Peter when we had the chance."

Before Maria had the chance to speak, she was cut off from shouting outside. She gazed through the slit in the flaps to see Indians rushing in the direction of the medical tent. "Smee, help me get to the medical tent," she ordered.

Holden sighed. "You're not supposed to leave bed," he grumbled.

"I don't care! I need to see what's going on!"

"Dancing Moon doesn't want you to over exert yourself! You have three broken ribs, and let's not forget about that hole in your chest."

Maria snarled. "I'm fine!" She began to sit up once more and this time succeeded. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and let out a strangled whimper. But as she tried to stand up, her legs shook, making her ease back down onto the bed. And though her body told her to lay back down, her heart told her to try again. So that's what she did. Putting her weight back on her feet, she pushed through the soreness and took an unsteady step forward.

Her side ached when she forced herself upright, but it didn't matter. All that matter was that she got to Peter. Smee offered his hand to her, and she gladly took it. He assisted her all the way to the medical tent led her inside.

The tent was packed with Indians, all crying softly. She stood up on her toes, attempting to see what they saw. And then she saw it.

Peter was laying lifelessly on his cot, not moving, not breathing. His skin was so pale, and the bandage wrapped around his waist was soaked with blood. Maria gasped and covered her mouth, not believing what she was seeing. The Lost Boys were huddled together, sobbing and mourning their former leader.

"What happened?" she asked quietly to herself.

"He just stopped," an Indian replied. "He's not breathing, and his heart is barely beating."

"Is he dead?"

The Indian shook his head yes and bit his lip.

Maria felt adrenaline pumped through her veins, forcing her into action. She ran out of the tent, turning to Smee, who began following her. "Get the boys, Peter, Holden, and the crew. I'm going to the ship. The only way Peter is going to live is if we fly him down to a hospital," she stated.

But before he could protest, Maria took off in a sprint down the land bridge. She was still limping, but she didn't feel any pain as she rushed the the ship. All she felt was pure power. She would not let Peter die, and that determination gave her the strength to do just that.

As she ran onto the ship, she heard several people shouting for her to stop. But it didn't slow her down even the slightest bit; it actually made her go even faster. Sprinting inside, she found Hook's cabin door and pounded on it with her good arm.

A muffled voice inside told her to come in, and she did so immediately. "Get up," she commanded. Hook was lying on his bed lazily and groaned. "Peter is dying, and I need you to fly this ship to London so he can get help!"

Hook snorted at her request and stayed on his bed. "I'm sorry, but I don't help traitors."

"I'm not a traitor. I'm your daughter, and I need you!"

Hook sat up and saw his daughter for the first time after the incident. Though guilt tried to creep into his conscious, he pushed it away and scowled. "I finally killed Peter. I'm not going to help save him! Besides, what kind of pirate would I be if I did that?"

"Quit being a pirate, start being my father! Look, I'm sorry that I dated him behind your back, but what you did was way worse!"

"Just get out of my room," he growled.

"Dad, this is your chance to redeem yourself. Please take it. I don't want to have a bad relationship with you."

"Please, go," he sighed.

"Fine. If you won't help me, then I'll just fly it myself." She stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She came back outside to see everyone already on the deck. Not that she thought they would procrastinate, but the came pretty quickly. Peter was sprawled out on the floor, and one of the pirates was crouching down next to him, trying to find a pulse. Maria climbed the stairs and grabbed a hold of the wheel. "Is Tink here?" she yelled.

Tink appeared in front of her and floated in the air. "You know what to do," she nodded at the fairy. She sprinkled dust all over the fairy and flew back down to Maria. "HOIST THE ANCHOR!"

Smee started spinning the wheel the pulled the anchor out of the water and was joined quickly by other pirates.

Once it was out of the water, Maria gazed up at the sails. "I need someone to make the sails!" She watched as several crew members raced to the different sails, untying them.

"Okay," she said quietly to herself. "Here goes nothing!" The wind pushed against the sails, making the ship lurch forward. Everyone stumbled a little, but no one actually fell. Within no time, the ship was flying in the air, heading towards London. "Mr. Smee, will you steer for me?" she asked weakly.

The old man scurried next to her and took over. "You don't look very well," he stated.

"I feel like crap," she muttered as she stepped aside.

"Why don't you go help Peter?"

She nodded and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. Then she trudged over to Peter, who was still not breathing. His lips were turning a light shade of blue. She knew that he needed CPR, but she didn't know how to do it.

"He barely has a pulse," the pirate tending to him said softly.

Maria cringed as she plopped down and held her side protectively. The adrenaline wore off after a few minutes, making even sitting up a challenge. Brushing his hair with her fingers, she felt his forehead, which was on fire still. It was weird how frail he looked-usually he was a hyper, fun-loving kid. But she had never seen him so weak.

She sat there, watching as the color in his lips changed from blue to purple. "How much longer?" Maria asked, her voice labored from the pain.

"Fifteen minutes at best," Smee replied.

"He doesn't have fifteen minutes! He needs air _now!_ "

"I can't control the wind."

Maria stood up and saw the Darling house ahead. The sun was barely beginning to rise in the horizon, and Maria knew Tom and Margaret would just be getting up for work. "Smee, stop at the corner house!"

"Why?" Smee questioned.

"Just do it!" she snapped. "Trust me!"

Smee obeyed and pulled next to the corner house. It was still dark inside, but Maria didn't care. She dropped a rope over the edge of the ship and slid down it, landing at the doorstep of the home. Instantly, she pounded on the door and screamed their names. She hoped that someone would answer. But when she had been knocking for an entire minute, she leaned against the door and sighed. "Please answer!" she whispered.

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Tom. His eyes looked tired, and his hair was a tangled mess. "Hey!" he said cheerfully before actually focusing in on Maria. But when his eyes adjusted to the dark lighting, his heart began to beat louder in his chest. "What happened?" he gasped. He flipped on the foyer light, which illuminated more of Maria's wounds. "Who did this to you?"

"No time to explain."

He tried to pull Maria inside, but she cried out in pain as he gripped her elbow. He turned her arm carefully to the light and cringed at the sight of her bruises. "Margaret, get down here!" he shouted while guiding Maria inside, taking note of all her injuries. Her eye was nearly swollen shut, her head was busted open in the back, she had multiple cuts on her stomach, and her chest had been punctured.

Loud footsteps were coming from above the two, signaling that Margaret was running down to Tom. As she rounded the railing and descended down the stairs, Maria gazed up at her. She gasped audibly and covered her mouth wither her hands. "Tom?" she whispered.

"She needs to go to the hospital. Call an ambulance." He crouched down in front of Maria and smiled softly. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

"I don't need an ambulance. I have a ride. But I need you to perform CPR on Peter Pan."

"Why?" Margaret asked, concerned.

"He walked the plank and isn't breathing." Tom looked at Maria like she had gone nuts. "I'm Captain Hook's daughter, and Peter is my boyfriend." She glanced at Tom, who had his arms crossed in front of his chest. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true!"

"Love, Peter Pan isn't real," he said gently. "I think you hit your head pretty hard and are imagining things."

"It is real," Margaret argued. "Those stories I've told the kids are completely true."

Maria let out a long sigh. "Just follow me," she grumbled. She walked out of the door and gazed up at the ship and overstepped the stair, tumbling down on her already broken elbow. Letting out a earsplitting shriek, she balled her fists up and panted heavily.

"MARIA!" Tom yelled while running to her rescue. He scooped her up in his arms. He then peered around nervously. Oddly, there was a rope hanging from the sky. But when he followed the rope with his eyes, he saw a ship floating weightlessly in the air. He gawked at the sight.

Then Margaret came out, acting like it was normal to have a ship floating in the air. "Come on!" she laughed.

She climbed the rope first, followed by Tom with Maria. Stepping over the railing, he set Maria down and ran over to Peter, who was still laying lifelessly on the deck. He started doing compressions, pushing against Peter's chest. Then he opened the boys mouth and breathed two breaths into him, filling his lungs.

Maria crawled over to Peter and watched as Tom repeated the compressions. Margaret also came over to Peter and gasped when she saw his stomach. "Oh dear," she mumbled. She drew her hands up to her chest and hesitantly reached out to touch him, as if even a hint of wind would break his feeble body.

Then the sound of two pairs of light footsteps coming towards the group made her look up. "Hey, Mum," Sasha said wearily.

"Sasha, Ally, what are you doing here? Get back to your room. It's not safe here." Margaret did not want them to see Peter like that.

"Trust me," Ally chimed in. "I know. But we were hoping that Maria would be here, since she is Captain Hook's daughter."

Maria perked her head up and turned it to the sound of Ally, small voice. "Hi," she muttered, embarrassed that she looked so bad.

"Maria, what happened to you?" Sasha asked, walking towards her. "Why is your eye all swollen? Are you okay?" But as she caught a glimpse of her dad giving Peter CPR, she knew that he was in trouble. She froze at Peter's lifeless body, his feet flopped to the side, his whole body jerked as Tom pressed down on his chest. "Is he...?"

"I can't find a pulse," Tom blurted. "HE'S CRASHING!" He pressed harder against Peter's ribs, hearing his ribs crack from the pressure. Maria's hands shook, and she looked up fearfully at Tom. His brow was sweating, and he was encouraging Peter to breathe under his breath.

After what felt like an eternity of hopelessness, Smee shouted from the wheel. "WE'RE HERE!"

Tom sprung into action and lifted Peter into his strong arms. He climbed down the rope that still hung from the railing. His police unstick had kicked in, and he had went into life-saving mode. Margaret helped Maria get down the rope, and the girls, who had found Holden were assisting him while he climbed down the rope.

They all piled in, Peter being the first one to be seen by nurses. "We need two gurneys, now!" Tom ordered.

"Two?" Maria questioned.

"You need one too!" he explained.

Four nurses rushed over to Peter with a gurney and helped Tom lay him down. A tall man pressed against Peter's neck, trying to find a pulse. A short woman put an oxygen mask over the boy's mouth and nose and started squeezing the Ambu bag attached to it, pumping air into his lungs. The other ones cut Peter's clothes off, leaving him in his underwear.

Two more nurses came over to Maria with a gurney. "Lay down, please," the first one instructed.

"I'm okay," Maria said, trying to get away from them and focus on Peter.

"Honey, you are very hurt. Don't be scared. We will take great care of you," the second one soothed.

"I'm not scared. I just want him to be alright. Plus, I have to stay with Peter. He'll be confused and scared when he wakes up, and I'll be the only one that can calm him down."

"Maria, I'll make sure he's okay," Tom promised. "Just lay down."

"I'm not leaving him!"

"You have done as much as you can. You need to take care of yourself now."

Maria obeyed eventually and laid down on the gurney, cringing from the pain in her side. The nurses began to check her body, eyeing the bruises and cuts. "How did this happen?" the second nurse asked.

"It's a long story, and I really don't want to relive it." Maria watched as straps were placed across her legs, waist, chest, and shoulders. She felt trapped and unable to control the situation, and she did not like it.

"Does this hurt?" The nurse barely touched her elbow, making Maria grimace from the pain. The nurse cringed when she saw the girl breathing heavily from the pain. "Yeah, it's broken. It will need surgery to repair it. Let's get you on a sedative."

Maria felt suddenly very weak and let out a loud whimper. Her head still pulsed with pain. Her breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. Everything she had pushed aside while helping Peter was coming back in harsh waves. The adrenaline was wearing off and was being replaced with agony in her core.

The nurses noticed the worsening of her patients condition and looked around for the doctor. One was already tending to Peter, and another was on her way over, already putting on her rubber gloves.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, caressing her hair. "We're going to take you directly into surgery, okay?"

Maria opened her mouth to speak, but she was so consumed with pain that only a little cry escaped her lips.

The doctor gulped and glanced at the two parents looking worried for both of the children. "Are you her parents?"

The two exchanged glances before Margaret answered. "We like to call her ours. But we aren't her biological parents. She lives with us during the school year."

"Well, we need you to fill out her information. Does she have any preexisting conditions?"

"No," Tom stated.

"Okay. The procedure shouldn't be too complicated, and she will have to be in a cast for several weeks. But other than that, everything should be fine. We will also stitch her wounds closed while we are in there."

Then she turned to Maria and placed a mask over her face. "Take deep breaths," she said softly, still loving on her.

Maria followed her instructions and breathed deeply, allowing the sedative to fill her lungs. The gurney wheeled away, and Maria fell asleep on the way to the OR, letting the pain melt away.

Peter, meanwhile, was still being worked on. A needle penetrated through the skin in his hand. "He's going to need a massive transfusion," the man said sharply. "Let's get him into his own room. The Darlings watched as the boy was wheeled away, his body jerking as the gurney rolled over the thresholds.

Tom sat down one of the chairs and began scribbling down Maria's information on the paperwork. Margaret crossed her arms in front of her chest and let out a sigh. She began pacing around the emergency room, feeling sick and worried. Two kids that meant the world to her were both in danger.

In Peter's room, chaos was forming. Donor blood was being transferred into his body, but he still didn't have a pulse. Doctors pulled out defibrillators and zapped his chest, trying to restart his heart. His heart still wasn't beating after multiple attempts. Peter wasn't breathing on his own, so someone was having to bag him. "We're not giving up, yet!" one doctor shouted. He zapped his chest again but to no avail.

The doctors were drenched with sweat, their hands working feverishly to stitch his stomach closed. "I think we've lost him," another doctor said.

"I'm doing one more try." He zapped Peter's chest once more. Still nothing. The monitor on his finger still showed no signs of life.

The doctor gulped and looked at the clock. "I guess he's not coming back. He's dead. 5:43 a.m.."

Everyone looked down at the boy, who was still and dead. The doctor ripped off his mask in anger. He really thought he could save him. But he obviously was wrong. "Good try, everyone," he praised.

As they began to walk towards the door, a beep came from the machine next to the bed. Another beep, and then another. "He's back," the doctor stated in amazement. Nurses came back over to him and placed an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose again, strapping it securely behind his head.

He was breathing again.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Peter eyes fluttered open to the sight of bright, white walls. The room smelled sterile, and honestly, he felt the cleanest he had felt in years. Turning his head, he felt something move on his face, something plastic. Thinking that was odd, he tried to shake it off of him. But he couldn't get it to move.

He tried to move his hands up so he could remove the thing from his face, but they were stuck in their position. Beginning to feel trapped, he tugged his hands harder, but he still could not move them.

"Somebody help!" Peter yelled. He panicked and tried to kick his feet, but they wouldn't move either. He glanced around the room and froze when he was confronted by a strange woman.

"Peter, it's alright. You're not trapped." She touched his shoulder gently and rubbed it. "Everything is okay."

"Where am I?" Peter whimpered.

"You're in a hospital."

"What's a hospital?"

"It's a place that takes care of hurt people, just like you! Don't worry, you're safe here."

Peter hesitated. His stomach throbbed and so did his head. He tried to sit up but was eased back down by the woman. "Don't try to sit up," she said softly. "You're still very weak, and your stomach hasn't healed all the way yet."

"Where's Maria?" he asked, remembering that he was barely standing the last time he had seen her.

"Right over there," the nurse gestured over to the window and smiled. "She's a great little girl. You're lucky to have her in your life, you know that?"

"Yeah…I do." He turned his head to Maria and cringed when she saw the cast on her arm. It stretched from her bicep to her knuckles. Then his eyes scanned her body, his gaze fixating on her head, which had a large bandage on the back of it. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days." The nurse wrapped something around Peter's arm, and it puffed up unexpectedly. He had a puzzled look on his face. "I'm taking your blood pressure," she explained. "It tells me if your heart is pumping blood correctly. And it looks like you are!"

Peter relaxed into the bed and raised his arm a little so the woman could get the wrap off of him easier. Then she released the restraints on his wrists, figuring that he wouldn't try to get out of bed since he knew he was safe. Taking the mask off of him, she sighed and hung it on the bed rail "I'll wake Maria up for you." She strolled over to the sleeping girl and shook her gently. Maria stirred and opened her eyes, looking up at the nurse. "He's awake!"

Maria shot up and glanced at Peter, who flashed a dashing smile. She got up and ran over to the side of the bed. "You're awake!" she exclaimed. "Oh, I've missed seeing you!"

"I've missed seeing you too!" he said, looking at her beautiful face. "So, what all have I missed while I was out?"

"I'll leave you two alone," the woman said, leaving the room and closing the door behind her."

"I cut off my dad's other hand," Maria mumbled, blushing pink on her cheeks.

"Wait, what? So he's gonna have another hook? Do you realize that it's going to be impossible to beat him now?" he laughed.

"No, he got it sewed back together." She smiled and squeezed his hand gently.

"Dang it!" Peter pounded his fist into the mattress, hoping that Hook would have suffered more for what he had done. "I'm going to kill him when I get out of here."

"Why don't you heal all the way? Then you can kill him." She chuckled and rubbed Peter's soft skin on his hand.

"How's your arm?" He gazed at her red cast and frowned.

"Well, it hurts like crazy, but the doctor gave me really strong pain medicine. So that helps. I feel a whole lot better now that I know you're going to be okay. I was so scared I lost you."

"You will never lose me. And I promise to listen to you from now on about your dad's plans to kill me."

Maria sat down on the bed next to him and brushed the hair out of his eyes with her hand. "Thanks for saving me," she whispered after a while of silence.

"What are you talking about? You saved me! I did nothing!"

"You kept me from turning into my dad. This tattoo on my hand used to remind me who I was supposed to be. Now it reminds me who to never become. You showed me how to be good. You taught me that I didn't have to be my father. So thanks."

"You're welcome." He glanced around the room and found flowers, presents, and cards on a table on the opposite side of the room. Then he looked back at Maria. "Those are all for me?"

Maria shook her head yes and moved over to the table. "Wanna open the one from me?" she asked, practically bouncing from the excitement.

"Yeah!" Peter propped pillows behind his back and sat up, reaching out to take the tiny box from Maria. She giggled and handed over, watching as he weakly tore the wrapping paper. Inside was a small box, about the same size as one that would hold a ring.

He popped open the lid and smiled when he saw what was inside. A small, silver dome laid on the cushion, and a string had already been attached to it. "I thought you could use a little protection right now," Maria explained.

"Thanks," Peter said while slipping the string around his neck. "I see you have your kiss too."

Maria fingered with it lovingly. "I will never rip it off ever again." She smirked. A long time passed before anything more was said. They were enjoying the peace of the silence. Maria finally was able to relax, not having to worry about Hook or what he thought.

"I love you." Her blue eyes sparkled, making Peter smile.

"I love you too."

The End


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